Summary
Present investigation involving 28 stations of Western Karnataka and one of Kerala produces at least some evidence of the impact of deforestation on declining trends of rainfall and rainy days. Twelve climatic parameters have been chosen; 6 of annual rainfall, 6 of rainy days (see Table 1).
As a rule higher the deforested area, larger is the number of climatic criteria showing diminishing trend of rainfall-rainy days. Exceptions are the coastal stations where the humidity due to the proximity of the sea seems to compensate for the loss of forest cover.
The potential evergreen forest belt appears to be subject to decreasing trend in higher number of criteria because of reduction of forest area than the zone of deciduous forest. Introduction of deciduous trees in the evergreen forests do not seem to affect the precipitation pattern.
Generally, the rainy days are more prone to decline than the rainfall.
Zusammenfassung
Auf Grund von Beobachtungsdaten von 28 Stationen in West-Karnataka und einer Station in Kerala wird in dieser Untersuchung der Nachweis für den Einfluß der Entwaldung auf eine abnehmende Tendenz der Regenmengen und der Zahl der Regentage erbracht. Dazu wurden 12 klimatische Parameter (s. Tabelle 1) verwendet: 6 für den Jahresniederschlag und 6 für die Regentage. Im allgemeinen gilt, daß je größer das Entwaldungsgebiet ist, umso größer auch die Zahl der auf eine Verminderung der Regenmengen und der Regentage hinweisenden klimatischen Kriterien ist. Eine Ausnahme machen Küstenstationen, wo durch die Nähe des Meeres die durch die Verkleinerung der Waldflächen verursachte Feuchteabnahme kompensiert zu werden scheint.
Bei einem immergrünen Waldgürtel spricht eine größere Anzahl von Kriterien für eine Tendenz zur Verminderung der Niederschläge bei einer Verkleinerung der Waldfläche als bei Laubwäldern. Die Beimischung von Laubbäumen in immergrüne Wälder scheint die Niederschlagstätigkeit nicht zu beeinflussen. Im allgemeinen scheint die Zahl der Regentage mehr für eine Abnahme anfällig zu sein als die Regenmenge.
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Meher-Homji, V.M. Repercussions of deforestation on precipitation in Western Karnataka, India. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl. B. 28, 385–400 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352275
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352275