Dr. Yu Tsunetaka of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), a member of the SATREPS VaryAla Project (Output 4), traveled to Madagascar to conduct field surveys and hold meetings with partner research institutions.

During this business trip, a field survey was conducted in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, to investigate forest hydrological processes and soil erosion dynamics. During the survey, rainfall, water level, and turbidity data were collected from monitoring weirs installed in two small catchments, and maintenance was carried out on the monitoring equipment. 

To assess soil erosion during rainfall events, interval cameras were installed near the weirs. In addition, soil core samples were collected at multiple locations to examine water movement within forest soils. Sap flow sensors were also installed on eleven trees, and continuous measurements were initiated to estimate forest transpiration.

The team further held discussions with collaborators from the Laboratory of Radioisotopes (LRI), University of Antananarivo, to share survey results and discuss future research plans.