[Water conservation functions of several artificial forest ecosystems in semiarid region of western Liaoning Province].
Five artificial forest ecosystems in semiarid region of western Liaoning Province were selected to test their water conservation capacity. The average interception rate of different artificial forest ecosystems varied from 14.58% to 37.19%, and the order was H. rhamnoides forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. simonii-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis forest ecosystem > P. simonii forest ecosystem. The thickness of the litter layer in different forest ecosystems varied from 1.6 to 4.1 cm, and the biomass of the litter varied from 1890.4 to 6425.2 kg x hm(-2). The order of the thickness and the biomass of the litter in different forest ecosystems was H. rhamnoides forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. simonii-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis forest ecosystem > P. simonii forest ecosystem. The maximum water holding capacity of the litter in different forest ecosystems varied form 5957.7 to 19332.9 kg x hm(-2), and the order was H. rhamnoides forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. simonii-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis forest ecosystem > P. simonii forest ecosystem. The water holding capacity of non-capillary porosity of 0-40 cm soil layer in different forest ecosystems varied from 23.70 to 37.85 mm, and the order was H. rhamnoides forest ecosystem > P. simonii-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis-H. rhamnoides mixed forest ecosystem > P. simonii forest ecosystem > P. tabulaeformis forest ecosystem. Among the five artificial forest ecosystems, H. rhamnoides forest ecosystem had the best water conservation capacity, and the mixed forest ecosystems had a better water conservation capacity than P. tabulaeformis and P. simonii forest ecosystem.
Luo
Yuechu
Y
Laboratory of System Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China. yuechuluo@163.net
Han
Shanheng
S
Wang
Hongchang
H
Liu
Jianmin
J
Wei
Jing
J
Wu
Gang
G
D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*; D014867:Water
D012987:Soil; D014867:Water