Stemflow

Stemflow is precipitation that travels down the surface of stems to the soil. Stemflow is commonly a small water flux; however, this water is concentrated at the base of the tree and has relatively high concentrations of certain elements making it an important component of the hydrologic and nutrient cycles in some ecosystems. Studies show that 2-12% of the precipitation volume becomes stemflow, the quantity depending largely on the canopy structure and smoothness of the bark.