4.Conclusions
The results of monitoring in the paired catchments showed that the different forest management regimes mainly influenced the annual flow and the hydrological regime of the streams. Mosaic management with longer cycles (mean age between 10 and 16 years) showed better flow stability and higher water quality, but water use similar to that obtained with shorter cycles (between 5 - 7 years), indicating that this management alternative may not be sufficient to increase downstream water availability. In the short-cycle management, there were greater effects on flow in the coppice management, indicating that this system can aggravate conflicts for water use in regions with low water availability.
Due to the short cycles used and the rapid response of fast-growing plantations to water availability, only comparative studies with paired catchments under the same environmental conditions seem capable of explaining the effects of forest management on the hydrological regime of streams.