The water holding characteristics of litter in the six young broadleaved stands of Cinnamomum camphora

L igustrum lucidum

Tsoongiodendron odorum

Elaeocarpus sylvestris

Manglietia yuyuanensis

and Michelia chapensis were studied.By the water holding capacity of litter

the stands was in the order of M.yuyuanensis woodland>M.chapensis woodland>L.lucidum woodland>T.odorum woodland>C.camphora woodland>E.sylvestris woodland.By the proportional water holding capacity as a percentage of the litter dry weight

the stands were in the order of T.odorum woodland>M.yuyuanensis woodland>M.chapensis woodland>C.cam phora woodland>E.sylvestris woodland>L.lucidum woodland.The total water holding capacity and proportional water holding capacity of litter increased logarithmically with increasing time immersed in water.Water absorption rates of litter in all plantations decreased with increasing time immersed in water by a negative exponential relation.