METHOD DESCRIPTION
Throughfall and precipitation volumes were monitored biweekly
throughout the year as part of a water isotope study (Green et al.
2015). Two replicate precipitation collectors were installed adjacent
to each other in the clearing for rain guage 4 in watershed 3.
Throughfall was collected beneath a northern hardwood forest canopy at
six randomly selected locations in an area adjacent to the rain gauge
clearing. Precipitaton and throughfall collectors consisted of 15-cm
diameter by 50-cm-long PVC pipes lined with polyethylene collection
bags. The collectors were mounted on vertical stakes 1.5 m above the
ground surface. During winter the snow and ice that accumulated in the
bag was brought back to Hubbard Brook headquarters and melted at room
temperature before recording the volume. When precipitation fell
mostly as rain, a small amount of mineral oil was added to the bags to
prevent evaporation and maintain the isotopic composition of the
sample. Please note that the collectors did not have wind shields so
the measured volumes may be less than the actual volumes. These
precipitation values can be compared to the daily precipitation values
at rain gauge 4 that are collected as part of the long-term
meteorological record.
Related data sets:
1) forthcoming water isotope dataset;
2)USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 2016. Hubbard Brook
Experimental Forest (US Forest Service): Daily Precipitation Standard
Rain Gage Measurements, 1956 - present. Environmental Data Initiative.
https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/9b6924e8560f072c016dd30dc372eb2f.
Related publications: Green, M.B., Laursen, B.K., Campbell, J.L.,
McGuire, K.J. 2015. Stable water isotopes suggest sub-canopy water
recycling in a northern forested catchment. Hydrological Processes
29(25): 5193–5202