| Title | Estimating and modelling stemflow and throughfall on creosote (Larrea tridentata) in an arid environment |
| Publication Type | Thesis |
| Year of Publication | 1993 |
| Authors | Rice P.M. |
| Number of Pages | 43 |
| Date Published | 1993 |
| University | New Mexico State University |
| City | Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Thesis Type | M.S. Thesispp |
| Call Number | 00444 |
| Keywords | dissertation, dissertations, Larrea,stemflow model, model,Larrea,stemflow, model,Larrea,throughfall, nutrients,Larrea,stemflow, stemflow, shrub, theses, thesis |
| Abstract | Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is one of the most common plants in the desert southwestern United States. The purpose of this study was to estimate stemflow and throughfall percentages, try to predict stemflow values, observe whether or not dryfall adds significantly to the ionic nutrients in stemflow, and to explore the relationship between branch angle and percentage of stemflow in an arid environment. To address these concerns several methods including calculating percentages, multiple regression, and paired t-tests were employed. It was found that the average stemflow rate was 16.8 percent while the average throughfall rate was 64.7 percent. The multiple regression produced several important variables in predicting stemflow including mean branch angle, mean branch length, total branch surface area, and canopy area. It seemed obvious during the analysis that several important variables were not included since they were unavailable. It was shown that dryfall does add significantly to the ionic nutrients in stemflow, especially nitrogen which is the most important nutrient for desert plants. No highly significant relationships was found in this study between branch angle and percentage of stemflow. |
Jornada
Science-based management strategies for sustainability of agriculture and other land uses
