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We examined changes in catchment‐scale annual and seasonal evapotranspiration after 50% strip thinning, using runoff data from headwater catchments. The short‐term water balance (STWB) method between periods from 8 to 100 days was applied to the treated (KT) and control (KC) catchments. The estimated evapotranspiration during the pre‐ and post‐thinning periods were 840 and 910 and 780 and 860 mm/year in the catchments KT and KC, respectively. According to a paired catchment analysis of estimated evapotranspiration, monthly evapotranspiration increased from 3 to 20 mm from June to December, while it decreased from 7 to 31 mm from January to May. The estimated annual and monthly evapotranspiration was compatible with the values monitored in the plot‐scale interception, canopy transpiration, and ground surface evapotranspiration. Our findings showed that the decreases in evapotranspiration due to 50% thinning were similar or different in different methods of measurement when compared with thinning in the other catchments around the world. The STWB model can evaluate the effects of timber harvesting on changes in evapotranspiration (ET), including the reproduction of seasonal patterns of ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident released large amounts of radioactive materials into the environment. River systems play an important role in the terrestrial redistribution of FDNPP‐derived 137Cs in association with water and sediment movement. We examined the seasonal fluctuations in dissolved and particulate 137Cs activity concentrations and clarified the biological and physicochemical factors controlling 137Cs seasonality in the Abukuma River's middle course in the region affected by the FDNPP accident. The results showed seasonal fluctuations in the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration, with an increase in summer and a decrease in winter, although there was no clear seasonal change in the particulate 137Cs activity concentration. Water temperature and K+ concentration dominated the seasonality of the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration. The volumetric activity concentration of the organically bound 137Cs was found to be several orders of magnitude lower than that of the dissolved 137Cs. Therefore, we concluded that the 137Cs in organic matter is not a source of dissolved 137Cs in river water. The study also revealed the temperature dependence of Kd in riverine environments from a Van't Hoff equation. The standard reaction enthalpy of 137Cs in the Abukuma River was calculated to be approximately −19.3 kJ/mol. This was the first study to clearly reveal the mechanisms by which the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration and Kd are influenced by chemical and thermodynamic processes in the middle course of a large river, and it is expected to lead to an improved model of 137Cs dynamics in rivers. Plain Language Summary: The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident released large amounts of radioactive materials into the environment. River systems play an important role in the terrestrial redistribution of FDNPP‐derived 137Cs in association with water and sediment movement. The dissolved 137Cs activity concentration in the Abukuma River showed clear seasonal fluctuations, with an increase in summer and a decrease in winter, although there was no clear seasonal change in the particulate 137Cs activity concentration. Water temperature and K+ concentration dominated the seasonality of the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration. Previously, decomposition of 137Cs‐contaminated organic matter was thought to be the reason for the seasonality of the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration in rivers. However, in the middle course of the river, the organically bound 137Cs activity concentration is much lower than that of the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration, indicating that the decomposition of organic matter does not directly affect the dissolved 137Cs in the middle course. This study revealed that seasonal fluctuations in river temperature determine the seasonality of the dissolved 137Cs activity concentration in the middle course in the region affected by the FDNPP accident. Key Points: Dissolved 137Cs in the Abukuma River displays significant seasonal fluctuationsThe main factors determining the seasonality of dissolved 137Cs activity concentrations are water temperature and K+The standard enthalpy of 137Cs desorption from sediments was determined to be approximately −19.3 kJ/mol [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and characterization of a novel DNA‐encoded library of macrocyclic peptide derivatives are described; the macrocycles are based on three sets of proteinogenic and non‐proteinogenic amino acid building blocks and featuring the use of copper(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction for ring closure. The library (termed YO‐DEL) which contains 1 254 838 compounds, was encoded with DNA in single‐stranded format and was screened against target proteins of interest using affinity capture procedures and photocrosslinking. YO‐DEL selections yielded specific binders against serum albumins, carbonic anhydrases and NKp46, a marker of activated Natural Killer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding rainfall‐runoff processes is crucial for prevention and prediction of water‐related natural disasters. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is a potential tracer, but few researches have applied it for rainfall‐runoff process studies. We observed multiple tracers including SF6 in spring water at 1‐ to 2‐hr intervals during rainstorm events to investigate the effectivity of SF6 tracer in rainfall–runoff studies through the clarification of rainfall–runoff process. The target spring is a perennial spring in a forested headwater catchment with an area of 0.045 km2 in Fukushima, Japan. The relationship between the SF6 concentration in spring water and the spring discharge volume was negative trend; the SF6 concentration in spring water becomes low as the spring discharge volume increases especially during rainstorms. The hydrograph separation using SF6 and chloride ion tracers was applied for determining the contribution of principal sources on rainfall–runoff water. It suggested more than 60% contribution of bedrock groundwater at the rainfall peak and high percentage contribution continued even in the hydrograph recession phase. Based on observed low SF6 concentration in groundwater after heavy rainfall, the replacement of groundwater near the spring with bedrock groundwater is indicated as a mechanism for water discharge with low SF6 concentration during rainfall events. Consequently, rainstorm events play an important role as triggers in discharging water stored in the deeper subsurface area. In addition, SF6 tracer is concluded as one of the strongest tracers for examining rainfall–runoff process studies. And, therefore, this study provided new insights into the dynamics of groundwater and its responses to rainfall in terms of SF6 concentration variance in water in headwater regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spatial variability of throughfall (TF) isotopic composition, used as tracer input, influences isotope hydrological applications in forested watersheds. Notwithstanding, identification of the dominant canopy factors and processes that affect the patterns of TF isotopic variability remains ambiguous. Here, we examined the spatio‐temporal variability of TF isotopic composition in a Japanese cypress plantation, in which intensive strip thinning was performed and investigated whether canopy structure at a fine resolution of canopy effect analysis is related to TF isotopic composition and how this is affected by meteorological factors. Canopy openness, as an index of canopy structure, was calculated from hemispherical photographs at different zenith angles. TF samples were collected in a 10 × 10 m experimental plot in both pre‐thinning (from July to November 2010) and post‐thinning (from May 2012 to March 2013) periods. Our results show that thinning resulted in a smaller alteration of input δ18O of gross precipitation, whereas the changes in deuterium excess varied in both directions. Despite the temporal stability of spatial patterns in TF amount, the spatial variability of TF isotopic composition was not temporally stable in both pre‐ and post‐thinning periods. Additionally, after thinning, the isotopic composition of TF was best related to canopy openness calculated at the zenith angle of 7°, exhibiting three different relationships, that is, significantly negative, significantly positive, and nonsignificant. Changes in meteorological factors (wind speed, rainfall intensity, and temperature) were found to affect the relationships between TF δ18O and canopy openness. The observed shifts in the relationships reveal different dominant factors (partial evaporation and the selection), and canopy water flowpaths control such differences. This study provides useful insights into the spatial variability of TF isotopic composition and improves our understanding of the physical processes of interception through canopy passage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment connectivity characterizes the physical transfer of sediment through different geomorphic compartments in catchments due to sediment detachment, transport and deposition. Quantifying and modelling sediment connectivity is therefore a key prerequisite to improving our understanding of the dispersion of particle-borne contaminants, especially in catchments exposed to highly erosive climates. The objective of this study is to provide novel insights into typhoon impacts on sediment connectivity from hillslopes to rivers. The dispersion of particle-bound caesium-137 (137Cs) was investigated in two coastal catchments draining the main contamination plume from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Five sampling campaigns were carried out from November 2011 to November 2015, after each typhoon season. The spatial and temporal evolution of 137Cs contamination was investigated through the calculation of 137Cs enrichment ratios in sediment relative to nearby soils. Rainfall erosivity (EI30) associated with the main typhoons that occurred prior to each sampling campaign were computed, mapped, and finally used to improve a topographic-based index of connectivity. From 2011 to 2015, mean contamination levels in Mano and Niida catchments decreased from 11.9 kBq kg−1 to 3.3 kBq kg−1 and from 34.1 kBq kg−1 to 8.0 kBq kg−1, respectively. Regional mean EI30 ranged from 262 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 for typhoon Jelawat (in 2012) to 1695 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 for typhoon Roke (in 2011). Typhoons Roke (2011) and Etau (2015) showed the highest connectivity from contaminated sources to the rivers, and induced a significant export of sediment to the ocean. In 2013 a slight increase in 137Cs levels in river sediments occurred, likely resulting from initial decontamination works and the occurrence of two consecutive typhoons. Importantly, this research provides new insights into the connectivity of the main sources of sediments contaminated with radiocaesium in Fukushima Prefecture and their temporal evolution, which will help with ongoing decontamination efforts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this research, the synthesis, biological evaluation, and conformational analysis of an apratoxin C oxazoline analog ( 3) have been demonstrated. The preparation of synthetic key intermediate 9 was achieved using an improved strategy that involves commercially available 3-methylglutaric anhydride ( 12), an enzymatic enantioselective alcoholysis, and a diastereoselective reduction. The Pro-Dtrina (3,7-dihydroxy-2,5,8-trimethylnonanoic acid) moiety 8 was successfully synthesized in a similar manner as our previously reported synthesis of apratoxin C ( 1). The cyclization precursor 5 was formed after the coupling of Pro-Dtrina 8 with a known tetrapeptide 7 to afford a linear peptide 6, the formation of an oxazoline, and the removal of the protecting groups. Finally, the macrolactamization of 5 with O-(7-aza-1 H-benzotriazol-1-yl)- N, N, N′, N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU)/ N, N-diisopropylethylamine (DIEA) furnished an apratoxin C oxazoline analog ( 3), which exhibited a potent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells (IC50 value of 22 n M) that was comparable with the cytotoxicity of apratoxin C ( 1) (IC50 value of 4.2 n M). Conformational analyses of 1 and 3 through NMR experiments showed that oxazoline analog 3 formed a tertiary structure that was similar to the apratoxin C ( 1) structure in CD3CN, which provided a probable explanation for their comparable cytotoxicities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 404-414, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revealed the influence of change in forest canopy structure by forest management practice for throughfall generation and canopy water interception process. Throughfall and stemflow were observed in a mature Japanese cypress ( Chamaecyparis obtusa) plantation before and after thinning. Decreased stem density (from 2400 to 1300 trees ha−1) and basal area (from 107.6 to 60.4 m2 ha−1) resulted in an increase in the throughfall fraction (from 58% to 79%) and decreases in the stemflow fraction (from 14% to 8.6%) and the canopy interception loss fraction (from 27% to 12%). Thinning also decreased spatial variability in throughfall and smoothed temporal persistence of throughfall among sampling points or rainfall events. These results were supported by the change in the throughfall balance between direct throughfall and released throughfall. The proportion of direct throughfall of incident rainfall changed from 0.16 to 0.42 owing to an increase in canopy gap. The distribution ratio of released throughfall from intercepted rainwater by canopy changed from 50% to 64% because of a decrease in foliage; this led to lower water storage in the canopy (from 1.83 to 0.82 mm), and thus less precipitation was needed to saturate the canopy. Consequently, the amount of throughfall increased and less precipitation was needed to stabilize the water flow path during the post-thinning period. This study contributes to knowledge of differential canopy wetting processes and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of throughfall distribution in response to specific silvicultural prescription. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient concentrations in stream water, rainfall, throughfall, stemflow, surface flow and ground water were compared before, during and after strip thinning (intensive 50%) in plantation forested watersheds in Tochigi, Japan. Influences were evaluated comparing four thinning-applied and two reference basins for 1 year before, 6 months during and 1 year after the thinning. Results show that this strip thinning significantly increased dissolved total phosphorus, total phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon (0.01, 0.04 and 0.53 mg l-1, respectively) during the thinning period and dissolved total nitrogen and total nitrogen (0.34 and 0.46 mg l-1, respectively) after the thinning in stream waters relative to the unthinned basins. The increased phosphorus during thinning indicated ground disturbances by the strip thinning, with a concomitant increase in dissolved organic carbon. Changes in biotic and abiotic conditions resulted in increased nitrogen after the thinning, particularly in the dissolved pool. Changes in hydrological processes due to thinning, for example, a change in flow distributions (less high nutrient stemflow and more low nutrient throughfall) and an increase in water discharge in stream water, possibly weakened the direct influences of thinning on nutrient concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of 50% strip thinning on peak flow responses in 17-ha and 9-ha nested catchments. We observed 117 storm events from April 2010 to December 2013, including 32 events in the pre-thinning period, 15 events during the thinning operation, and 70 events in the post-thinning period. Paired-catchment analysis with multiple pairs of nested gauging stations revealed that changes in peak flow responses varied depending on the location of the nested observation stations. Increases in peak flow during the operation period were significant in gauging stations located at the outlet and the middle of a catchment. Increases in peak flow during the post-treatment period became significant in all nested catchments, but not in the catchment outlet. Rates of increase in peak flow ranged from 17.7% to 44.4%, which is within the range of previous studies. Different responses for changes in peak flow among nested pairs were associated with changes in internal hydrological flow pathways due to removal of timber and hydrological connectivity via overland flow generated by newly installed and reactivated skid trails. Our findings suggest that the effects of timber harvesting on peak flow are scale-dependent with respect to drainage areas, hydrological links, and management practices. Selection of gauging locations and process-based observations within catchments are essential for testing hypotheses related to the effects of timber harvesting with robust hydrological monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the effect of strip thinning on the spatio-temporal variability of throughfall (TF) in a mature Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) stand. Strip thinning, which removed 50% of stems, was performed in a catchment in October 2011. TF was examined by setting up 20 tipping-bucket rain gauges in an experimental plot. Canopy interception parameters were derived from high-temporal-resolution TF data. Observations were obtained during the growing season in the pre-thinning and postthinning periods. The results demonstrated that after thinning, the TF rate increased from 64.3 to 76.2%, and the mean coefficient of variation of the TF rate significantly decreased from 27.3 ± 9.7 to 22.5 ± 6.8%. The spatial TF patterns were largely related to the rainfall class. There was no significant difference in the TF rate for the rainfall amount >25mm between the periods. The temporal persistence of the normalized TF was slightly stable in the post-thinning period and was not significantly related to canopy cover or the distance to the nearest trunk of each rain gauge in either period. Additionally, thinning resulted in an increase in the proportion of direct TF (from 0.14 ± 0.07 to 0.33 ± 0.11) and a decrease in canopy water storage (from 2.4 ± 0.7 to 1.5 ± 0.5 mm). The quantification of the canopy interception parameters can aid in modelling the changes in interception loss and its processes induced by thinning. These findings also help recognize the changes in spatial TF patterns under different forest management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have suggested the importance of the bedrock groundwater (BG) contribution in storm runoff in headwater catchments. However, few such studies have been conducted, and the study of different types of bedrock conditions is still ongoing. The role of BG in storm runoff is still poorly understood, particularly in headwater catchments underlain by relatively deep fractured bedrock. This study aims to clarify this role using hydrometric and hydrochemical observations of BG via boreholes and catchment discharge. The responses of the BG to rainfall are demonstrated to be fast and independent of the sediment cover. The BG exhibits different responses and flow paths that are largely controlled by the bedrock fracture system. The storm runoff in the studied catchment is characterized by rapid discharge response generally followed by a delayed discharge response. The peak of the delayed discharge is much faster than that observed in previous studies, and it is well correlated with the BG levels. A hydrograph separation was performed for two storm events using three end members: rainfall, shallow BG and deep BG. The results demonstrate that the delayed discharge is primarily composed of deep BG. Moreover, a significant contribution of shallow BG is observed during large precipitation events. Although we observed no physical evidence of direct contributions of BG in the catchment, the calculations presented in this study demonstrate that the BG controls the hydrological and hydrogeological response of the catchment to rainfall events. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: In this paper, we examine the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for studying soil erosion. Surrogate soil particles were created by coating RFID tags with silicone clay and bronze powder to give them an overall density similar to that of quartz particles. The particles were between 2.5 mm and 4.0 mm in diameter and had specific weights of 2.5 to 3.0. These tagged particles were deployed on two plots: first, in a proof‐of‐concept laboratory study and secondly in a field study, the latter involving repeated surveys after rainfall events. Seven surveys under natural rainfall over four months yielded recovery rates averaged 56%. RFIDs are shown to provide useful insights into the movement of individual soil particles during erosion processes. As RFID technology advances, further miniaturization is likely to occur enabling the movement of a greater range of soil particles to be studied, and we may anticipate improvements to the signal detection so that recovery does not rely wholly on visual identification. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We investigated the contribution of three evapotranspiration (ET) components including canopy interception ( Ei), tree transpiration ( Et) and forest floor evaporation ( Ef) and identified the sources depth of evaporated water in a Japanese cypress stand. Monitoring primarily focused on the growing season of July-October 2011. In a 12 × 13 m plot with 28 trees with a DBH of 19.1 ± 3.9 cm, Ei was calculated as the difference between precipitation on an open field and precipitation under a canopy as the sum of throughfall and stemflow, and Et was measured using the Granier method. Ef was measured by weighing lysimeters. Total ET during the monitoring period was 446.3 mm, accounting for 47.5% of the total precipitation of 938.8 mm. Ei was the dominant evaporation flux and accounted for 53.6% of ET or 25.5% of rainfall, followed by Et with 33.7% of ET or 16.0% of rainfall. The average Et was 1.5 ± 0.6 mm d−1. It was well correlated with soil moisture at a depth of 5-15 cm, which reflected the forest properties, i.e. tree roots were exposed on the forest floor. Ef accounted for 12.7% of ET or 6.0% of rainfall with a daily mean of 0.55 ± 0.26 mm d−1, and was best correlated with soil moisture in the upper 5 cm of soil. These results can improve the understanding of water budget in forested watershed and also be used to build and validate hydrologic models for water resource managements. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the temporal variation in reservoir sedimentation and identification of the main sources of sediment are necessary for the maintenance of sustainable reservoirs. For this purpose, field measurements, sampling, and fingerprinting of reservoir sediment were undertaken from July 2005 to November 2007. Source fingerprinting of reservoir sediment was conducted using cesium-137 (137Cs). The relative contributions of gully bank and forest road, and forest floor material to reservoir sediment were calculated using a mixing model. Bank and forest road material, estimated to make up about 96% of the reservoir sediment, was the dominant source. Enormous reservoir sedimentation, which amounted to about 60% of the total reservoir sedimentation during the observation period, occurred during a heavy rainstorm with an 80-year recurrence time. To maintain the sustainability of the resevoir in this study, therefore, temporal and spatial preparation strategies for heavy rainstorms and bank and forest road erosion should be considered. However, spatial information on sediment sources from 137Cs fingerprinting is limited. To better identify the sediment sources spatially and temporally, further studies applying soil erosion models and more detailed field studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the estimation of the medium-term erosion rate of semi-arid grassland hillslope in Japan. The study intends to evaluates the extent to which a resurvey of the magnetite distribution on the hillslope can provide insight into the fine soil particles' movement in natural rainfall events. The rainfall-simulation experiments were performed to be able to determine the travel distance of the magnetite.

The article presents a study which examines the connections between watershed and flush parameters and determines whether flush exists at both the seasonal and event levels. The study quantifies three parameters that describe the characteristics of the flush and investigates flush characteristics of chemicals from four forested watersheds in Japan at both seasonal and event scales. Results show that the flush characteristics are complicated and depended on the elements of the hydrochemistry.

The article presents a study on the role of the bedrock groundwater and the subsurface flow in the rainfall-runoff process with the use of a tracer at Shiranui in Kumamoto, Japan. The study intends to determine the contribution of the bedrock groundwater to rainfall-runoff processes. The study reveals the interrelation of the groundwater table's location to the bedrock groundwater and soil water.

The article presents a study to quantify the impact of the abandonment of forest management practices on the runoff of surface-derived suspended sediment at the catchments scale. In this study, the relative contributions of soil erosion among Japanese cypress plantation catchments was compared with different stand densities and surface coverage. Moreover, the magnitude of surface soil erosion and the particular runoff of surface soil was affected by the light condition of the forest floor.

The article offers information on a study conducted on the increasing forest degradation in Japan due to poor management. It states that in this study, the ecological characteristics have been examined including soil water content (SWC) and leaf water content of healthy and degraded forests. Moreover, the study shows that the SWC of the degraded Japanese cypress plantations was lower than those being well-managed Japanese cypress plantations.

The article focuses on a field investigation conducted on the effects of rainfall and slope angle on splash detachment, applying 27 splash cups in a Japanese cypress plantation in southern Japan. The study shows that the kinetic energy of throughfall was constant and independent of rainfall intensity, suggesting that splash detachment can be associated to soil slope and throughfall intensity. Moreover, there is no consistent relationship between the slope angle and splash detachment.

The article focuses on the indoor experiments conducted applying 13 runoff boxes and a single transplanted Japanese cypress tree in a large-scale rain fall simulator. This study aims to estimate the variability of surface runoff generation and the infiltration rate on a bare surface in a forested area. Moreover, the surface runoff generation and infiltration rates were different under the canopy, despite the rainfall applications were identical and the runoff boxes had identical soil properties.

The article focuses on the conducted field observation and monitoring of discharge, soil erosion as well as water quality in forest plantations. The aim of study is to determine the effects of forest cover and management practices on runoff generation, down stream environmental issues, and sediment transport. Furthermore, the remote sensing techniques were applied in identifying broad scale forest stand and conditions of soil surface.

The article offers information on the studied flow pathways applying geochemical tracers and hydrometric observations in a 4.9 hectare cypress watershed in Japan. It states that there are measurably significant amounts of overland flow to all types of hillslopes was indicated in the hydrometric observations, regardless of the underwater vegetation's condition. Furthermore, the overland flow imparted around 30% of storm runoff in specific small catchments with thin understorey vegetation.

The article presents an estimation of suspended sediment sources with the use of 137Cs and 210Pbex in unmanaged cypress plantation watersheds in southern Japan. The 137Cs and 210Pbex were detected with the use of gamma-ray spectrometry in the surface soil of forest floor, stream bank and others. The multivariate sediment-mixing model that use 137Cs and 210Pbex showed that the contribution of the forest floor changes in various subwatersheds. Results show that the forest floor should be recognized as a source of suspended sediment in unmanaged cypress plantation watersheds.

Both scaling effect and connectivity of overland flow were examined in steep hillslopes covered by (1) Japanese cypress (hinoki, Chamecyparis obtusa) plantations with sparse understory vegetation, (2) hinoki plantations with fern understory vegetation, and (3) deciduous forests. Two sizes of plots were installed for monitoring overland flow: small (0.5 × 2 m) and large hillslope scale (8 × 24-27 m). For all hillslopes, measurable amounts of overland flow occurred during storms. Runoff coefficients of large plots (0.1-3%) were consistently smaller than those of small plots (20-40%). Estimated runoff flow lengths at the hillslope scale were based on runoff coefficients from small plots and were used to calculate runoff volume from large plots. Then we compared the differences between observed and estimated runoff volumes of large plots. Estimated runoff from large plots was smaller than observed runoff in hinoki slopes with sparse understory vegetation. Greater amounts of observed compared to estimated overland flow suggest that more runoff occurred from hillslopes with sparse understory. In contrast, estimated overland flow was larger than observed runoff from the deciduous forest, implying greater opportunities for infiltration compared to hinoki hillslopes. Comparison of estimated versus observed overland flow for successive 5 min intervals during storms indicates that runoff networks expand upslope during short and intense precipitation periods. Our examination and comparison of storm runoff from small and large plots facilitate better understanding of runoff mechanisms, scaling effects in hillslopes, and connectivity of the overland flow network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the relationship between runoff and soil water repellency under Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) forests in Japan. The authors combined the critical surface tension (CST) test with a spraying experiment in which the simulated rainfall infiltration rates of water and ethanol solutions sprayed over plots were compared. They found that water repellency and the resultant surface runoff depended on the history of rainfall at the site. They concluded that relationships between soil water content and soil water potential indicate that changes in the soil water repellency and consequently surface runoff could occur during a single storm event.

We investigated the characteristics of nutrients (N and P) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations during high, intense typhoon storm and base flow periods from three watersheds (W1, W2 and W3) in central Japan. Concentrations in base flow were low and relatively constant. In contrast, concentrations of N, P, and DOC in runoff during typhoon storms became highly dynamic. Particulate nitrogen (PN) and particulate phosphorus (PP) concentrations in runoff were 4-50 times greater than those in base flow for all storm events. Because PN and PP concentrations were significantly correlated with suspended sediment concentrations, particulate nutrient transport may be associated with overland flow in forested hillslopes. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), NO3-N, DOC and dissolved phosphorus (DP) concentrations in runoff were 1-10 times greater than those in base flow. All nutrients showed a clockwise, discrete hysteresis pattern, which implied that the sources of nutrients were from forested hillslopes. Additionally, the time constant (t1/e) calculated from a decreasing function suggested that particulate nutrients were mainly sourced from surface flow, whereas dissolved nutrients were provided from both surface flow and subsurface flow. The ratios of DOC : nitrate and UV : DOC suggested that higher values occurred in the early period of a storm event and was potentially related to the occurrence of overland flow. Our findings suggested that investigation of the parameters (e.g. DOC:nitrate and UV:DOC) were potentially useful for identifying sources of nutrients and potential applications of hydrological separation. Our results also contribute towards understanding the nutrient dynamics during intense storm events when various hydrological processes such as surface and subsurface runoffs govern the nutrient concentrations in headwater streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]