Water regulation by forest

Japanese: 森林理水 - しんりんりすい（英語表記）water regulation by forest

The function of forests is to store rainfall in mountainous areas to prevent floods, or to gradually release the stored water during periods of no rainfall, thereby minimizing changes in river flow. This function of forests to regulate flow is called the forest's hydraulic function. The mechanism by which forests regulate water runoff from mountains involves the interception of rainfall by the treetops, the inhibition of evaporation from the ground, and the inhibition of surface runoff by fallen leaves and branches, but the biggest factor is the pores in the aggregate structure of forest soil, which enhance its infiltration and water retention capacity, and the physiological water consumption of forest trees.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

森林の働きによって，降雨を山地にたくわえて洪水を抑制したり，反対に無降雨が続いたときに徐々にたくわえを放出し，河川の流量の変化を少なくすること。また，森林のもつこうした流量調節の働きを森林の理水機能という。森林が山地からの水の流出を調節するしくみには，樹冠の降雨遮断，地面蒸発抑制，落葉落枝の地表流下抑制なども関係するが，最も大きな要因は，森林土壌の団粒構造がもつ孔隙（こうげき）が，浸透能，保水能を強化することと，林木の生理的な水消費にある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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