Seasonal variation in the atmospheric deposition of inorganic constituents and canopy interactions in a Japanese cedar forest

The seasonal changes in throughfall (TF) and stemflow (SF) chemistry and the canopy interactions of K+ and N compounds were studied in a Japanese cedar forest near the Sea of Japan. The fluxes of most ions, including non-sea-salt SO42−, from TF, SF, and rainfall showed distinct seasonal trends, increasing from autumn to winter, owing to the seasonal west wind, while the fluxes of NH4+ and K+ ions from TF + SF might have a large effect of canopy interactions. The contact angle (CA) of water droplets on leaves decreased with leaf aging, suggesting that surface wettability increases with leaf age. The K+ concentration in TF was negatively correlated with the CA of 1-year-old leaves, while the NH4+ concentration was positively correlated with the CA. The net fluxes of NH4+ and NO3− from TF were positively correlated with the CA. The increase in wettability may accelerate leaching of K+ or uptake of NH4+.