Throughfall and rainfall interception were measured during a 2-year period in forest submitted do selective logging (6-10 trees or 34 m³ ha-1 of timber). In the first year data were collected continuously; in the following year, data were obtained during intensive campaigns at different seasons. The goal was to quantify the changes produced by selective logging, both on throughfall and rainfall interception, and consequently in the forest hydrological cycle. The internal throughfall varied from 74.2 to 87.1%, in the pristine forest area (control), to 86.9 - 92.9%, in the managed plots, after selective logging. However, the changes in internal throughfall, which is the water transfer from the atmosphere to soil after percolating the forest canopy, due to the selective logging, were not significant. On the other hand, the rainfall interception, one part of the hydrological cycle, which returns water vapour to the atmosphere, contributing for the formation of new rains, was significantly changed by forest management, producing a decrease in the water retained by the forest canopy.
Forest management; hydrological cycle; forest canopy; Central Amazonia