Navigation auf uzh.ch
Navigation auf uzh.ch
The University of Zurich joined forces with the University of Tokyo in a project that investigated how water moves through forested landscapes. Supported by the UZH Global Funding Scheme, the bi-national research team looked at data and refined models to investigate how changes in forest cover affect streamflow responses to rainfall.
Japan and Switzerland are on opposite sides of the world and differ in many ways — i.e., climate, culture, and food—but they share steep mountains that are partly covered in forests. These forests play a crucial role in water retention, soil stability, and runoff processes.
Ilja van Meerveld from the University of Zurich (UZH) and her colleague, Yuko Asano, from the University of Tokyo (UTokyo), together with their respective teams, took advantage of the UZH Global Funding Scheme to study the effects of changes in forest cover on streamflow. Their research aimed to answer the question: How does reforestation change how water moves through landscapes? Their joint research initiative analyzed Japan’s long-term hydrological datasets, exchanged insights, and discussed modeling work. Their goal is to refine models to detect changes in rainfall-runoff responses and to deepen collaboration in catchment hydrology.
To bring theory into practice, the UZH team travelled to one of the University of Tokyo’s Research Forests near Seto, a town four hours south of Tokyo, where they visited different research sites to study the hydrological effects of forest thinning.
.jpg)
The collaboration has opened doors for further joint research. UZH and UTokyo plan to expand their analysis by leveraging existing datasets from both countries, refining models with the goal of long-term advancements in hydrological science and global environmental research.
This project was supported by the UZH Global Funding Scheme. The Fund supports UZH faculties, departments and professional service units in pursuing activities that strengthen the impact of the global UZH network in line with the UZH Global Strategy. More information can be found on the call website.
Leslie Reinhard
