Abstract
Stemflow was measured in a young (age 9–12) and a mature stand (age 72–75) of Japanese cypress. The young stand at age 9 showed the highest annual ratio of stemflow to rainfall (SF/R), 5.9%, in spite of low canopy cover (Cc) of 55%. At age 10 SF/R revealed a sudden drop down to 2.8% followed by gradual increase at age 11 (3.8 %, Cc 81%) and 12 (4.3%, Cc 94%). In the mature stand annual variation in SF/R was not clear. Photographs displayed drastic morphological change in the branch structures in the period including age 9 and 10, from linear and upward to convex upward structure, which causes the sudden SF/R drop. The July-September periods show the lowest values of SF/R in both stands that is attributed to high canopy interception rate in the summer periods.
