General weather conditions may have a strong influence on the individual elements of the hydrological cycle, an important part of which is rainfall interception. The influence of general weather conditions on this process was analysed, evaluating separately the influence of various variables on throughfall, stemflow, and rainfall interception for a wet (2014), a dry (2015), and an average (2016) year. The analysed data were measured for the case of birch and pine trees at a study site in the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The relationship between the components of rainfall partitioning and the influential variables for the selected years was estimated using two statistical models, namely boosted regression trees and random forest. The results of both implemented models complemented each other well, as both indicated the rainfall amount and the number of raindrops as the most influential variables. During the wet year 2014 rainfall duration seems to play an important role, correlating with the previously observed influence of the variables during the wetter leafless period. Similarly, during the dry year 2015, rainfall intensity had a significant influence on rainfall partitioning by the birch tree, again corresponding to the influences observed during the drier leafed period.
Mosses are often overlooked; however, they are important for soil-atmosphere interfaces with regard to water exchange. This study investigated the influence of moss structural traits on maximum water storage capacities (WSCmax) and evaporation rates, and species-specific effects on water absorption and evaporation patterns in moss layers, mosssoil- interfaces and soil substrates using biocrust wetness probes. Five moss species typical for Central European temperate forests were selected: field-collected Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Oxyrrhynchium hians and Plagiomnium undulatum; and laboratory-cultivated Amblystegium serpens and Oxyrrhynchium hians. WSCmax ranged from 14.10 g g–1 for Amblystegium serpens (Lab) to 7.31 g g–1 for Plagiomnium undulatum when immersed in water, and 11.04 g g–1 for Oxyrrhynchium hians (Lab) to 7.90 g g–1 for Oxyrrhynchium hians when sprayed, due to different morphologies depending on the growing location. Structural traits such as high leaf frequencies and small leaf areas increased WSCmax. In terms of evaporation, leaf frequency displayed a positive correlation with evaporation, while leaf area index showed a negative correlation. Moisture alterations during watering and desiccation were largely controlled by species/substrate-specific patterns. Generally, moss cover prevented desiccation of soil surfaces and was not a barrier to infiltration. To understand water’s path from moss to soil, this study made a first contribution.