The objective of this laboratory experiment was to determine if leaf litter from deciduous tree spe-cies could be used to improve the chemical properties of a degraded soil in a coniferous forest in the gully re-gion of the Loess Plateau. Results showed that:(1) The application of Populus simonii leaf litter to a Platycladus orientalis forest soil significantly increased soil alkali-hydrolyzable N

organic C

and humin. The application of Hippophae rhamnoides leaf litter to a Pinus tabulaeformis forest soil significantly increased available P and to a Platycladus orientalis forest soil significantly increased pH value

available P

available K

and fulvic acid. The application of Caragana microphylla leaf litter to a Pinus tabulaeformis forest soil significantly increased available K

organic C

humic acid

and humin. (2) Leaf litter from Hipp-ophae rhamnoides had the greatest overall effect on Pinus tabulaeformis forest soil

followed by leaf litter from Caragana microphylla

Quercus liaotungensis

Populus simonii

and then Robinia pseudoacia. For the Platycladus orientalis forest soil

the positive effects of leaf litter declined in the order of Populus simo-nii > Hippophae rhamnoides > Quercus liaotungensis > Caragana microphylla > Robinia pseudoacia.