title: Effects of thinning intensities on soil infiltration and water storage capacity in a Chinese pine-oak mixed forest.
abstract: Thinning is a crucial practice in the forest ecosystem management. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest under three different thinning intensity treatments (15%, 30%, and 60%) were studied in Qinling Mountains of China. The thinning operations had a significant influence on soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity in different thinning treatments followed the order of control (nonthinning): <60%, <15%, and <30%. It demonstrated that thinning operation with 30% intensity can substantially improve soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest in Qinling Mountains. The soil initial infiltration rate, stable infiltration rate, and average infiltration rate in thinning 30% treatment were significantly increased by 21.1%, 104.6%, and 60.9%, compared with the control. The soil maximal water storage capacity and noncapillary water storage capacity in thinning 30% treatment were significantly improved by 20.1% and 34.3% in contrast to the control. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity were significantly higher in the surface layer (0~20 cm) than in the deep layers (20~40 cm and 40~60 cm). We found that the soil property was closely related to soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China ; Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China ; Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology & Bioresources Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai 264003, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Dexiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China ; Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Xingmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D065928:Forests; D028223:Pinus; D029963:Quercus; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014867:Water