PJB-2021-506
Stock and hydrological characteristics of four limestone secondary forest litters in subtropical China
Siyu Gun, Manfu Hou and Laiye Qu
Abstract
Forest litter plays an important role in water conservation, which has obvious effects on water storage and preservation. Taking four types of limestone forests in Guilin in the subtropical region as the object, the existing amount of litter in subtropical limestone forests was investigated via field sampling, and the hydrological effect of litter was explored using the water soaking method. The amount of litter accumulated in the four forests was 4.64–8.29 t·hm−2 (p<0.05), and the accumulation of the undecomposed layer of litter was greater than the semi-decomposed layer. The maximum water-holding capacity of litter was 11.53–16.05 t·hm−2 (p<0.05), Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest was the largest, Platycarya strobilacea forest was the smallest. The water-holding capacity and soaking time of the four forest litters had a logarithmic function relationship (R2 > 0.95, p = 0.00), whereas the water absorption rate and soaking time had a power function relationship (R2 > 0.9994, p = 0.00). The effective interception volume and effective interception depth of the four forest litters were represented by the C. glauca forest (127.71 t·hm−2), deciduous mixed forest (114.35 t·hm−2), P. strobilacea forest (97.21 t·hm−2), and evergreen mixed forest (86.86 t·hm−2) (p<0.00), which was equivalent to intercepting precipitation of 12.77, 11.44, 9.71, 8.69 mm (p<0.00), respectively. The C. glauca forest had the strongest interception ability and the evergreen mixed forest had the weakest. The existing amount of litter and hydrological functions of the four forests indicated that the C. glauca forest had strong water conservation ability. It is recommended to enhance the protection and restoration of the C. glauca forest in the limestone area of Guilin or other areas with similar climate and environment.
To Cite this article:
Gun, S., M. Hou and L. Qu. 2023. Stock and hydrological characteristics of four limestone secondary forest litters in subtropical China. Pak. J. Bot., 55(2): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2023-2(24)
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