Articles | Volume 11, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1275-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1275-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Short communication
| 
11 Dec 2023
Short communication |
| 11 Dec 2023
| 11 Dec 2023
Short communication: Concentrated impacts by tree canopy drips – hotspots of soil erosion in forests
Ayumi Katayama
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Shiiba Research Forest, Kyushu University, Miyazaki, 8830402, Japan
Kazuki Nanko
Department of Disaster Prevention, Meteorology and Hydrology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, 3058687, Japan
Seonghun Jeong
Department of Forest Environmental Resources, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea
Tomonori Kume
Shiiba Research Forest, Kyushu University, Miyazaki, 8830402, Japan
Yoshinori Shinohara
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 8892192, Japan
Steffen Seitz
Department of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 72070, Germany
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Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Splash erosivity under maize canopy as affected by droplet landing angles of sprinkler irrigation Z. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110395
- Microplastic Transport by Overland Flow: Effects of Soil Texture and Slope Gradient Under Simulated Semi-Arid Conditions F. Corradini https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems9020040
- Effects of moss restoration on surface runoff and initial soil erosion in a temperate vineyard C. Gall et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-199-2025
- Recent changes in rainfall patterns alter precipitation partitioning in European beech forest S. Drollinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adbba4
- Exploring the effects of maize canopy on the spatiotemporal distribution heterogeneity of the determinants of sprinkler irrigation droplet splash erosivity Z. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109158
- Derivation and validation of estimation model of rainfall kinetic energy under the canopy Z. Li & F. Tian https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3203-2026
- Spatial and temporal assessment of soil degradation risk in Europe M. Afshar et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33318-7
- Characteristics of throughfall kinetic energy in an unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation laden with dead branches S. Jeong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108181
- Variation in soil physico-chemical properties and species composition across the altitudinal gradient in different forests of Uttarakhand, India N. Pandey et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14221-0
- Naturally grown understory vegetation after thinning reduces throughfall erosivity in Japanese coniferous plantations S. JEONG et al. https://doi.org/10.2480/agrmet.D-24-00052
- Protection of understory vegetation by deer exclosure fences prevent the reduction of beech growth due to soil erosion H. Abe et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123146
- Predicting rainfall kinetic energy under forest canopies—A pilot study using ULS J. Senn et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.70150
- Variability and temporal stability of throughfall along a hillslope M. Verdone et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132294
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Splash erosivity under maize canopy as affected by droplet landing angles of sprinkler irrigation Z. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110395
- Microplastic Transport by Overland Flow: Effects of Soil Texture and Slope Gradient Under Simulated Semi-Arid Conditions F. Corradini https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems9020040
- Effects of moss restoration on surface runoff and initial soil erosion in a temperate vineyard C. Gall et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-199-2025
- Recent changes in rainfall patterns alter precipitation partitioning in European beech forest S. Drollinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adbba4
- Exploring the effects of maize canopy on the spatiotemporal distribution heterogeneity of the determinants of sprinkler irrigation droplet splash erosivity Z. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109158
- Derivation and validation of estimation model of rainfall kinetic energy under the canopy Z. Li & F. Tian https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3203-2026
- Spatial and temporal assessment of soil degradation risk in Europe M. Afshar et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33318-7
- Characteristics of throughfall kinetic energy in an unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation laden with dead branches S. Jeong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108181
- Variation in soil physico-chemical properties and species composition across the altitudinal gradient in different forests of Uttarakhand, India N. Pandey et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14221-0
- Naturally grown understory vegetation after thinning reduces throughfall erosivity in Japanese coniferous plantations S. JEONG et al. https://doi.org/10.2480/agrmet.D-24-00052
- Protection of understory vegetation by deer exclosure fences prevent the reduction of beech growth due to soil erosion H. Abe et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123146
- Predicting rainfall kinetic energy under forest canopies—A pilot study using ULS J. Senn et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.70150
- Variability and temporal stability of throughfall along a hillslope M. Verdone et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132294
Latest update: 25 Jun 2026
Short summary
Even under forests, soil is eroded by rainfall. This is particularly true when human impact damages vegetation layers. We found that the erosion risk can be greatly increased by structural drip points at branches forming large drops under the tree canopy in the foliated and non-foliated seasons. Our measurements with sand-filled splash cups in Japanese beech forests showed drop energies up to 50 times greater than under freefall precipitation, indicating locally severe sediment detachment.
Even under forests, soil is eroded by rainfall. This is particularly true when human impact...
