Articles | Volume 27, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2899-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2899-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
02 Aug 2023
Research article |
| 02 Aug 2023
| 02 Aug 2023
Throughfall spatial patterns translate into spatial patterns of soil moisture dynamics – empirical evidence
Christine Fischer-Bedtke
Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
Office for Green Spaces and Waters, City of Leipzig, Prager Straße 118–136, 04217 Leipzig, Germany
previously published under the name Christine Fischer
Johanna Clara Metzger
Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
Institute of Soil Science, University of Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
Gökben Demir
Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
Thomas Wutzler
Biogeochemical Integration, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Straße 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
Department of Computational Hydrosystems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
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Cited
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Topographic indices and ERA5-Land data to describe soil moisture variability in a Central European beech forest M. Schönauer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102456
- Measurement and modeling of canopy interception loss of evergreen, deciduous and mixed forests in a subhumid watershed on the Loess Plateau, China J. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.132820
- The role of tree traits in explaining throughfall variability in US forests E. Ayres https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70681
- Technical note: An innovative monitoring approach to measure spatio-temporal throughfall patterns in forests L. Dedden & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3245-2026
- Variability and temporal stability of throughfall along a hillslope M. Verdone et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132294
- Precipitation on the spatiotemporal variations of soil volumetric water content at different depths in forested catchments H. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109849
- Root water uptake patterns are controlled by tree species interactions and soil water variability G. Demir et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1441-2024
- An integrated framework for identifying throughfall spatiotemporal patterns: revealing dry zones as potential markers of pattern persistence F. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135789
- Forest floor vegetation contributes to a reduction in nitrogen fluxes in temperate forest understories T. Deilmann et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-08050-w
- Dynamics of the Net Precipitation in China from 2001 to 2020 J. Pan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122094
- Recent changes in rainfall patterns alter precipitation partitioning in European beech forest S. Drollinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adbba4
- A LiDAR-driven pruning algorithm to delineate canopy drainage areas of stemflow and throughfall drip points. C. Wischmeyer et al. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4600550
- Long-term water balance dynamics in a Brazilian neotropical forest: Insights from seven years of continuous observation D. Guauque-Mellado et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128475
- The redistribution of rainfall in mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests: The combined effect of rainfall characteristics and stand structure X. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2025.100989
- Moderate thinning enhances soil water and its temporal stability in Chinese pine plantations on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China Q. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1805676
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Topographic indices and ERA5-Land data to describe soil moisture variability in a Central European beech forest M. Schönauer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102456
- Measurement and modeling of canopy interception loss of evergreen, deciduous and mixed forests in a subhumid watershed on the Loess Plateau, China J. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.132820
- The role of tree traits in explaining throughfall variability in US forests E. Ayres https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70681
- Technical note: An innovative monitoring approach to measure spatio-temporal throughfall patterns in forests L. Dedden & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3245-2026
- Variability and temporal stability of throughfall along a hillslope M. Verdone et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132294
- Precipitation on the spatiotemporal variations of soil volumetric water content at different depths in forested catchments H. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109849
- Root water uptake patterns are controlled by tree species interactions and soil water variability G. Demir et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1441-2024
- An integrated framework for identifying throughfall spatiotemporal patterns: revealing dry zones as potential markers of pattern persistence F. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135789
- Forest floor vegetation contributes to a reduction in nitrogen fluxes in temperate forest understories T. Deilmann et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-08050-w
- Dynamics of the Net Precipitation in China from 2001 to 2020 J. Pan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122094
- Recent changes in rainfall patterns alter precipitation partitioning in European beech forest S. Drollinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adbba4
- A LiDAR-driven pruning algorithm to delineate canopy drainage areas of stemflow and throughfall drip points. C. Wischmeyer et al. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4600550
- Long-term water balance dynamics in a Brazilian neotropical forest: Insights from seven years of continuous observation D. Guauque-Mellado et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128475
- The redistribution of rainfall in mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests: The combined effect of rainfall characteristics and stand structure X. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2025.100989
- Moderate thinning enhances soil water and its temporal stability in Chinese pine plantations on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China Q. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1805676
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 17 Jun 2026
Short summary
Canopies change how rain reaches the soil: some spots receive more and others less water. It has long been debated whether this also leads to locally wetter and drier soil. We checked this using measurements of canopy drip and soil moisture. We found that the increase in soil water content after rain was aligned with canopy drip. Independently, the soil storage reaction was dampened in locations prone to drainage, like hig-macroporosity areas, suggesting that canopy drip enhances bypass flow.
Canopies change how rain reaches the soil: some spots receive more and others less water. It has...
