By taking evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests in the Fengyang Mountains of Zhejiang Province for an instance

the physical characteristics of soil moisture and its effects for the main different forest stand types in the mid subtropical zone are studied through field survey and laboratory measurements for soil bulk density

soil porosity and soil moisture content.Between 0and 60cm soil layer

soil bulkdensity rises gradually and total soil pore space

capillary porosity

maximum holding capacity

capillarywater capacity and minimum water holding capacity decrease gradually

as soil depth increases.Between 300and 1 355maltitude rank

the averaged value of soil bulk density decreases gradually and the averaged valuesof total soil pore space

capillary porosity

maximum holding capacity

capillary water capacity

the averagewater holding capacity and soil water capacity increase

respectively

as the altitude increase.The averagedvalues of soil drainage ability for the four forest stand types rank in the order of 900maltitude>600maltitude>1 355maltitude>300maltitude.The averaged values of soil bulk density for the four forest standtypes at the same altitude rank in the order of Chinese fir plantation>coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest>Cryptomeria fortunei plantation>evergreen broad-leaved mixed forest.Cryptomeria fortunei plantation is superior to the other three forest stand types in the averaged values of the total soil pore space

the maximum soil water holding capacity

capillary water capacity

the minimum water holding capacity andwater capacity.The averaged values of soil drainage ability rank in the order of evergreen broad-leaved mixedforest> Chinese fir plantation>Cryptomeria fortunei plantation>coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest.In summary

the water conservation and soil water conservation abilities of evergreen broad-leaved mixedforest are higher than those of Cryptomeria fortunei plantation at the same altitude.