Comparison of Water Conserving Function for Litter of Natural Forest and Artificial Forest in Muchuan County

Investigations and analysis were made of the reserves of litter and its water retention characteristics in natural forest and artificial forest in Muchuan county, Sichuan. The results showed that litter reserves were natural forest > artificial forest(25.7 t·hm^-2 > 18.1 t·hm^-2); Maximum water retention capacity was natural forest > artificial forest(75.0 t·hm^-2 > 47.0 t·hm^-2); Maximum water retention ratio,water absorption and water absorption speed were natural forest > artificial forest; Effective retaining content was natural forest > artificial forest(28.6 t·hm^-2 > 17.0 t·hm^-2). In general, water conserving function of natural forest was better than that of artificial pinust abulaeformis forest.