ABOUT THE HYDROLOGICAL ROLE OF ORGANIC LA YERS IN FOREST - METHODS AND FIRST RESULTS

The forest floor (total organic matter above the surface of the minera l soil) is an important interception storage for throughfall. Therefor e, it must be considered in detailed water balances of forest. The obj ective in this paper is to present a method for measuring the forest f loor percolation. It was developed within the framework of the interdi sciplinary project Ecosystem research in the Bornhoyed lake region. A technique for permanent registration of mineral soil input and a vacuu m control system for mini lysimeters and suction plates are described. The registration system has a resolution about 0,1 mm. Some figures i llustrate the instrumentation, respectively measured row data and some results. Finally, the used materials, their properties and sources of supply are presented.