Abstrakt
The study was focused on vegetation and topography effects on snow accumulation and ablation, with special interest in the role of the forest affected by the bark beetle (Ips typographus). We selected eight predictors related to winter meteorological conditions and the character of specific localities.
The vegetation structure was described using parameters calculated from hemispherical photographs. The degree-day approach was used to calculate melt factors for sites with different vegetation and aspects.
Multiple regression was further applied using snow water equivalent (SWE) data measured at 47 localities in winter seasons from 2010 to 2014. The SWE in forest sites was by 32% lower than in open areas.
The snow ablation in large openings was on average more than two times faster compared to forest sites. Snow ablation was by 33% faster after forest defoliation (due to the bark beetle) and we expect even faster ablation in case of complete forest decline.
The results indicated that topography is more important predictor for open areas, while leaf area index is more important for forest sites. Despite the significance of the correlations found, parameters applied in this study could only partly explain the snowpack variability.