Forest floor water storage and redistribution affect evaporation, retention, and infiltration in mixed temperate forests

Paulsen, Heinke; Weiler, Markus

doi:10.5194/hess-30-4305-2026

Articles | Volume 30, issue 13

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4305-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4305-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 30, issue 13

Research article

|

13 Jul 2026

Research article |

| 13 Jul 2026

Forest floor water storage and redistribution affect evaporation, retention, and infiltration in mixed temperate forests

Heinke Paulsen and Markus Weiler

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4305-2026-supplement

Data sets

Dataset to go with "Forest floor water storage and redistribution affect evaporation, retention, and infiltration in mixed temperate forests" H. Paulsen https://doi.org/10.60493/0apjq-0aa41

Short summary

Using 12 Forest floor (FF) lysimeters at three beech‑dominated sites, we recorded 1570 rain events and measured throughfall, drainage, and evaporation. Initial retention depended on pre‑event moisture, not litter thickness. Low‑intensity, long‑duration rains filled the FF more efficiently than brief, intense storms. Evaporation was low and consistent across sites, showing the FF protects the soil. Spatial data revealed frequent water redistribution, creating heterogeneous flow paths.