Study on Soil Moisture Distributing Characteristics of Artificial Forest in Mountainous Region

INTRODUCTION Soil is an important part in forest ecological system, which has positive significance for forest eco- environment effect. Soil moisture is an important factor in watershed water balance and hydrological cycle, which is one of the most active and influential factors in ecological system. With the appearance of SPAC (soil-plant-atmosphere continuum) conception, some basic conceptions and contents about soil moisture had been researched thoroughly (Li Hongjian, et al, 2003; W…

Study on Soil Moisture Distributing Characteristics of Artificial Forest in Mountainous Region

Physical characteristics of soil structure and soil moisture of five kinds of artificial forests were researched in Shengquan Temple Forestry Farm, in the southern mountainous area of Jinan City, in order to offer scientific management and nurture of forest vegetation in mountainous area of North China. Results indicated that: (1) In these artificial forests researched, some indexes expressing soil pedonydrological physical character, such as soil density, porosity, infiltration rate, were much better than those in bare land, and these indexes showed this order: mixed forest > pure forest, Kalopanax pictus > Koelreuteria paniculata > Pistacia chinensis. (2) In dry and rainy seasons, with the increasing of soil depth, soil water content decreased in most parts of forest, and their extent of change was less than those in bare land. (3) With the increasing of soil depth, soil saturated water content decreased in all kinds of forests. Water storing capacity of surface soil layer was the best in the mixed forest, while differences were little in other forest. Water storing and adjusting capacity was good in the mixed forest, while water offering capacity had little discrepancy in all forests. Conclusions show that judging from water conservation and water use efficiency, mixed forest is better than pure forest, and in pure forest K. pictus is better than K. paniculata. Therefore, it is proposed that in the future, mixed forest should be fostered and managed firstly, the species being made up of K. pictus and P. chinensis. In the pure forest, K. pictus is much better than others. Nowadays K. paniculata, and P. chinensis, especially their soil surface vegetation and litter, should be protected. As to poor forest, closing hill for afforestation should be adopted. Poor forest have better be reconstructed to be mixed forest in available conditions.