Soil
moisture parameter, mechanical composition and soil moisture condition of variouslands including
artificial Larix principis
- rupprechtii forest land on shady slope,
artificial Larix principis rupprechtii forest sandy land, Hippophae rhammoides shrub land, sandy
grassland and flat grassland inthe semiarid-subhumid transition zone in the Beshang region of Hebei Province were analysed. Theresults showed that the field moisture capacity,capillary moiSture capacity and maximum moisturecapacity displayed a significant POsitive correlation with two soil particle fractions, namely 0. 01￣ 0. 05 mm and 0. 001 ￣0. 01 mm but a negative correlation with the soil Particle fraction 0. 25￣ 0. 05mm. Even in the drought years the soil water storage and the effective water storage in 0￣ 100 cm soillayer roughly kept balanced in sandy grassland, Hippophae rhammoides shrub land and sandy populusnigra forest land at the beginning and end of growth season. On the other hand, the artificial Larix principis -rupprechtii forest land exhibited a severe water deficiency, however, it still kept an effectivewater storage of 27 mm at the end of growth season. From this it was concluded that the establishmentof artificial vegetation in the region should be in the order, i. e. plant herbs first, then plant shrubsand finally plant trees. Analysed from the angle of soil moisture balance such a planting order isfeasible.