In order to study the water conservation effect and regeneration of typical plantations in northern mountainous
Larix principis forests in the Lüliang Mountains were selected. The indoor soaking method was used to determine the water holding capacity of litter under different densities. The RDA analysis method was used to explore the relationships between stand structure and litter thickness and interception function. The results showed that:(1) The thickness of litter was 0.84~4.50 cm in different densities
and the accumulation was in the range of 9.64~24.14 t/hm2. 350 trees/hm2 had the largest amount and 200 trees/hm2 had the smallest. (2) The maximum water holding capacity of the sample plots was 27.12~62.07 t/hm2
the water holding capacity of 500 trees/hm2 was the largest
the water holding capacity of 150 trees/hm2 was the smallest
and the water holding rate ranged from 213% to 374%. The effective interception capacity of each plot was 10.75~30.40 t/hm2
the interception capacity of 500 trees/hm2 was the best
and 150 trees/hm2 was the worst. The interception capacity was positively correlated with water holding capacity. (3) The water holding capacity of litter had a significant logarithmic function relationship with the soaking time
and the water-holding rate had a power exponential function relationship with the soaking time. (4) The intercepted amount of litter was closely related to the structures of the forest
showing as tree height>forest density>canopy density>slope>forest age>regeneration>tending thinning years. Tree height had the closest relationship to the intercepted amount of litter. The effects of forest age
seedling regeneration and tending years on litter interception were small. Altitude and average DBH of stand had no effect on litter interception. The results of the study could provide some references for tending and management of Larix principis plantation from the perspectives of water conservation and soil and water conservation.
Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation, Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Science
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Protection, Mianyang Normal University
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences