The Role of Litter in Rainwater Interception

Aims: The function of plants litter on the soil surface in the hydrologic cycle, which is decreasing evaporation, protect of rain interception and surface runoff control. The research aim to know function of plant litter in the rain interception.
Place and Duration of Study: The research was done in Tawangsari village, Pujon district, Malang regency, Indonesia in lands cover disturbed forest, productions forest, agro forestry and coffee monoculture.
Methodology: Experiment done in Randomize Blocks Design with 3 replications. For litter observations done on the plot size 40 x 5 m and the interception of rain was measured by using the Rainfall Simulator at high, medium and low intensity. The amount of interception measured by soil water balance approach and gradient of litter moisture.
Results: Disturbed forest land (HT) produce the thickest litter and the highest interception value (both by water balance approach and gradient of litter moisture) than the other plot. The thickness of litter have a positive correlation with interception value (R2=0.70). Interception value have a negative correlation with runoff (R2=-0.99), while it have a positive correlation with soil moisture (R2=0.79).
Conclusion: Land cover is influence the production of litter and soil moisture by increasing the rainwater interception. The thickness of litter can intercept more rainwater but reduce surface runoff so it could be increase the soil moisture.