Water holding characteristics of litter in central water source area of the middle route of the South-north Water Diversion Project
[Objective]The objective of this study was to investigate the water-holding characteristics of forest litter in the Jiuhua Mountain Forest Farm of Shiyan City in the central water source area of the middle route of the South-North Water Diversion Project, northwestern Hubei Province of China.[Method]The water-holding characteristics of forest litter were measured by using water immersing method.[Result]The results showed that The accumulated litter amount of Pinus massoniana community was the highest among 5communities in the study area, and reached 8.47t/hm2, followed by Betula luminifera, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Quercus variabilis and Sassafras tzumu + Betula luminifera (3.89t/hm2) .The maximum water holding capacity of litter of P.massoniana community was also the highest (17.88t/hm2) , followed by B.luminifera, S.tzumu + B.luminifera, Q.variabilis and Ch.pisifera (7.96t/hm2) .The water holding capacity and water absorption rate of litter of 3deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest communities were higher than 2artificial coniferous forest communities, and the highest values were found in S.tzumu + B.luminifera (304.4% and 4 541.56g/ (kg·h) , respectively) and the lowest in Ch.pisifera (164.8%and 2 146g/ (kg·h) , respectively) .[Conclusion]The water-conservation function of the deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest was stronger than the artificial coniferous forest and should be seriously considered in the South-North Water Diversion Project.
litter storagewater holding capacity of litterwater holding rate of litterwater absorption rate of litterSouth-North Water Diversion Project