Quantitative analysis of water holding capacity of 4 typical forest litters in Beijing mountainous area

Four typical forests were selected to investigate the stock volume and water-holding capacity of litter layers，the results showed that：（1） the order of total storage capacity of four litters showed as Quercus variabilis ＞ Platycladus orientalis ＞ Pinus tabuliformis ＞ Robinia pseudoacacia，and the volume of half decomposition accounted for more than 80%；（2） the maximum capacity of litter layer ranged from 9 t/hm2 to 77 t/hm2，and the effective capacity ranged from 6 t/hm2 to 53 t/hm2；（3） the water holding of litters showed a process o“f rapid absorptionslow absorption-gradual saturated”；under the same soaking time，the water holding capacity of undecomposed litters showed as R. pseudoacacia ＞ Q. variabilis ＞ P. orientalis，P. tabuliformis，and the water holding capacity of half decomposed litters showed as Q. variabilis ＞ P. tabuliformis ＞ P. orientalis ＞ R. pseudoacacia；（4） the absorption rate decreased by immersion time，and they showed a power function relationship（ V=ktn）.