On the loess plateau

fluctuating land surface forms microrelief . Using the difference of soil moisture content on microrelief to improve the survival rate of vegetation has become an important method in ecological restoration and construction. Using probe-type TDR

we measure the soil water content on microrelief and the corresponding original slope in Hejia valley

Wuqi County

Shaanxi Province. Results show that microrelief has a significant impact on soil moisture content . In terms of soil water on sunny slope

landform units may be ranked in the descendant order of collap se

gully bottom

platform

shallow gully bottom

original slope

and scarp . The variation coefficient of soil water (0 —20 cm surface soil) at gully bottom is the biggest (0. 405) and on platform

the smallest (0. 226) . The variation coefficient of soil water on shady original slope is less than that on microrelief of sunny slope. Therefore

in the vegetation restoration of the Loess Plateau

we should configure vegetation types in the vegetation restoration units determined by the traditional principles according to the soil water characteristic on microrelief .