A simple technique for measuring rainfall interception by small shrub: “interception flow collection box”

In this paper a simple technique for field measurement of rain water loss arising from interception and water flows associated with species of small Mediterranean shrub is described: the 'interception flow collection box'. This technique solves the problem of installing devices to control stemflow in species with a multiple trunk and demonstrates its efficiency through the results obtained from the data observed for three species of semi-arid Mediterranean shrub: Juniperus oxycedrus, Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris. Finally, the empirical equations for the prediction of throughfall, stemflow and rain water loss through interception are presented for the three selected species and the validity of the technique employed is established. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.