Properties of Some Natural Waters in a Tropical Wet Forest of Costa Rica

Rainfall, throughfall, stemflow, litter solution, soil solution, and drainage water were sampled in Costa Rica during November, 1969. The study site was in a tropical lowland wet forest . Concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, K, H, Fe, HCO3, P, and N, and pH and electrical conductivity were determined for bulked samples of these waters. Conductivity, pH, and rates of flow of water at a number of places in the ecosystem were also monitored during a rainstorm. Drainage water from five sources had characteristic conductivities, four of which were relatively constant over the study period. These conductivities reflected the saturated conditions of the study period, and the land-use and other characteristics of the watersheds. The data are compared with those for other forest ecosystems, from both tropical and temperate regions.