Water balances of old-growth and regenerating montane cloud forests in central Veracruz, Mexico

SummaryThis paper compares the water budgets of two adjacent micro-catchments covered by mature (MAT) and 20-year-old secondary (SEC) lower montane cloud forests, respectively, in central Veracruz, Mexico over a 2-year period. Rainfall (P) and streamflow (Q) were measured continuously, whereas dry canopy evaporation (transpiration Et), wet canopy evaporation (rainfall interception I), and cloud water interception (CWI) were quantified using a combination of field measurements and modeling. Mean annual P was 3467 mm, of which typically 80% fell during the wet season (May–October). Fog interception occurred exclusively during the dry season (November–April), and was ⩽2% of annual P for both forests. Rainfall interception loss was dominated by post-event evaporation of intercepted water rather than by within-event evaporation. Therefore, the higher overall I (i.e. including CWI) by the MAT (16% of P vs. 8% for the SEC) reflects a higher canopy storage capacity, related in turn to higher leaf area index and greater epiphyte biomass. Annual Et totals derived from sapflow measurements were nearly equal for the MAT and SEC (∼790 mm each). Total annual water yield calculated as P minus (Et + I) was somewhat higher for the SEC (2441 mm) than for the MAT (2077 mm), and mainly reflects the difference in I. Mean annual Q was also higher for the SEC (1527 mm) than for the MAT (1338 mm), and consisted mostly of baseflow (∼90%). Baseflow recession rates were nearly equal between the two forests, as were stormflow coefficients (4% and 5% for MAT and SEC, respectively). The very low runoff response to rainfall is attributed to the high infiltration and water retention capacities of the volcanic soils throughout the ∼2 m deep profile. The water budget results indicate that ∼875 and 700 mm year−1 leave the SEC and MAT as deep groundwater leakage, which is considered plausible given the fractured geology in the study area. It is concluded that 20 years of natural regeneration following cloud forest disturbance in central-eastern Mexico is capable of producing near-original hydrological behavior.

► We compare the catchment water budgets of old-growth and regenerating cloud forests.
► Water use was higher in the mature forest mainly because of greater water canopy storage capacity.
► Streamflow was greater in the regenerating forest due to lower rainfall interception.
► Storm runoff was low in both forest attributed to the high permeability of the soils.
► We conclude that 20 years of forest growth is sufficient to restore the original hydrology.