Estimation of rainfall storage capacity in the canopies of cypress wetlands and slash pine uplands in North-Central Florida

The specific water retention capacities (SWRC) on the surfaces of canopy elements (leaves, branches and stems) were measured for dominant species and scaled up to the canopy level in cypress (Tarodium ascendens) wetlands and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) uplands in Florida flatwoods. The SWRC of foliage of pine, cypress and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora) was about 0.04 mm with no significant difference among species. The SWRC of branches and stems increased linearly with diameter for all three dominant tree species. For a given diameter, cypress branches and stems had the highest SWRC, followed by slash pine and black gum. The retention capacity of wetlands (average 0.94 mm) was about twice that of uplands (average 0.43 mm). The water retention capacity of wetlands demonstrated higher seasonal variability than that of pine uplands due to the higher seasonal variability of leaf area index in the wetlands. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.The specific water retention capacities (SWRC) on the surfaces of canopy elements (leaves, branches and stems) were measured for dominant species and scaled up to the canopy level in cypress (Taxodium ascendens) wetlands and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) uplands in Florida flatwoods. The SWRC of foliage of pine, cypress and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora) was about 0.04 mm with no significant difference among species. The SWRC of branches and stems increased linearly with diameter for all three dominant tree species. For a given diameter, cypress branches and stems had the highest SWRC, followed by slash pine and black gum. The retention capacity of wetlands (average 0.94 mm) was about twice that of uplands (average 0.43 mm). The water retention capacity of wetlands demonstrated higher seasonal variability than that of pine uplands due to the higher seasonal variability of leaf area index in the wetlands. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.