Distribución espacial de la lluvia sobre el suelo en la dehesa: influencia de la poda del arbolado

Dehesas are dominant ecosystems in the region of Extremadura (SW Spain), being Quercus species, main- ly holm and cork oaks the dominant tree species. Those species undertake a very important role on the dehesa land- scapes as essential elements for the adequate functioning of the systems. Among other issues, tree cover affects the spatial distribution of rainfall. Tree crowns intercept rainfall leading to an irregular distribution of the water over the soil surface. Tree pruning, for regeneration or production, represents an activity which is carried out periodically over the dehesa trees, causing changes on tree crown architecture, and considerably reducing foliar biomass. In this work there is quantified the volume of rain to the surface of the soil under different coverage, analyzing the effects that prun- ing techniques can have of over the whole water resources and the possible repercussions on the soil system, in a zone of dehesa of the Cáceres province (Extremadura).