Study on the effects of reforestation on the local water balance in dry land

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23405027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIKAWA Ken 岡山大学, その他の研究科, 教授 (50166922)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OHYABU Takashi 兵庫県立大学, 緑地景観マネジメント研究科, 准教授 (70423902)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TSUBOYAMA Yoshio 森林総合研究所, 研究室長 (10353773) ; OHOTE Nobuhito 京都大学, 大学院情報学研究科, 教授 (10233199)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ケニヤ / アカシア / メリア / 半乾燥地 / 蒸散量 / 植林適地 / ガイドブック

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Whereas dryland forests are important as woody materials for local people, a great amount of water exploitation by forest trees has a serious effects on the local water balance. Investigation on the structure of natural forests and the growth and the water balance of artificial forests in dry land of Kenya revealed that the environmental condition in Kenya dryland could support big natural forest with high density and high biodiversity. Moreover, trees planted in high density could grow vigorously for long period. However, the amount of evaporation from forest floor was controlled by the condition of canopy and the amount of transpiration from artificial forest showed very high value in comparison with the annual precipitation.

Free Research Field

樹木生理生態学