THE VEGETATIONAL FEATURES AND WATER-HOLDING EFFECTS OF THE LITTER IN THE ZIWU RIDGE

The Ziwu Ridge ranges between Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces, locates in the central land of the Loess Plateau. It is the watershed between the Jinghe river system and the Louhe river system, and belongs to the natural and secondary forest zone which is the complete on the Loess Plateau. After the experimental station established between the Years 1984—1989, We have approached the storage, decomposition and form pattern of the litter on bushy lands and grasslands. Also, we have determined the water content, water storage, maximal water absorption and water retaining capacity of the soil under forests and litter. Furthermore, the functional mechanism of conserving soil and water by different vegetations in the Ziwu Ridge has been understood ecologically. These results provide the scientific basis for managing the natural and secondary forest and for developing the functions of conserving water sources.