Converting cultivated land into forestland is an important way for the reconstruction of degraded ecosystem.Soil hydrological and physical properties on 12 converted lands in Northwest Guangxi Province after 3 year reconstruction were observed.Results showed that the averaged soil densities in different soil layers(0-20

20-40

and 40-100 cm)were 0.824~ 1.256 g/cm3

which increased by 2.4%~ 4.4%compared with cropland.Soil density within 20 cm of the surface soil reached a significant level.The averaged soil non-capillary porosity

total porosity

and ventilation were 1.1%~ 21.3%

52.4%~ 59.8%

and28.3%~ 35.7%

respectively.Soil non-capillary porosity within 20 cm of the surface soil reached a significant level.The averaged capillary porosities were 38.5%~ 41.3%

which increased by 5.2%~ 7.6%compared with original farmland.The maximum water holding capacity

the capillary water holding capacity

and the minimum water-holding capacity in the 1m layer were 43.0%~ 58.3%

37.0%~ 48.4%

and 30.5%~ 38.2%

respectively

which had no significant differences.The effective storage capacities in the 1m soil layer on converted farmland were 1652.6%~2294.3t/hm2

which increased by 1.9%~ 5.9%compared with cropland

but the differences were not significant.