The researchers studied how rainfall and tree cover affect water loss in a man-made forest. They used two models to predict water loss in a larch forest in China. They found that most of the rainwater either dripped through the trees or ran down the trunks, with only a small amount being held by the trees. The models did well for light rain, but struggled with heavy rain. The number of leaves on the trees was more important than water loss in determining how much rainwater the trees could hold. The models need to be improved to handle heavy rain better.