Modelling rainfall interception in unlogged and logged forest areas of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Rainfall interception losses were monitored for twelve months and related to vegetation and rainfall characteristics at the Wanariset Sangai on the upper reaches of the Mentaya river, Central Kalimantan. The rainfall interception losses were quantified for one hectare each of unlogged and logged humid tropical rainforests. The results show that interception loss is higher in the unlogged forest (11% of total gross rainfall) than in the logged forest (6%). Interception loss was also simulated by the modified Rutter model and Gash's original and revised models. Both the Rutter and revised Gash models predicted total interception loss over a long period adequately, and resulted in estimates of the interception loss that deviated by 6 to 14% of the measured values, for both the unlogged and logged plots.