%0 Journal Article %A FENG Yi-ming %A LI Yi %A CAO Xiu-wen %A LIU Jin-qian %T Effects of Stand Density on Soil Properties and Water Conservation Function of Picea asperata Plantation in the Subalpine Region of Gansu Province %D 2018 %R 10.31497/zrzyxb.20170842 %J JOURNAL OF NATURAL RESOURCES %P 1529-1541 %V 33 %N 9 %X This paper aims to quantitatively analyze soil properties and water conservation function of Picea asperataa plantations with different stand densities and provide a theoretical basis for sustainable management of forests. Totally 28 plots with seven different densities in young Picea asperata plantation were investigated, and soil properties, water-holding capacities of litter and soil in these plots were measured. The results showed that: 1) Stand density has significant influence on soil bulk density, total porosity, organic matter content, soil water-holding capacity, litter accumulation, and litter water-holding capacity. With the increase of density, soil porosity, soil nutrient, litter accumulation, water-holding capacities of litter and soil all increase at first and then decrease, while bulk density decreases at first and then increases. The plantations with moderate density (1 550 trees/hm2) have the lowest soil bulk density (1.08 g/cm3), the greatest total porosity (58.99%), the highest organic matter contents (9.13%), the most litter accumulation (44.41 t/hm2), good soil water-holding capacity (3 898.93 t/hm2), and the highest litter water-holding capacity which is 4.49 times of that of plantation with density of 3 000 trees/hm2. 2) Based on the total water-holding capacity of litter and soil, water conservation function of the seven different stand densities in order are density of 1 550 trees/hm2 (4 068.36 t/hm2), density of 1 750 trees/hm2 (3 945.32 t/hm2), density of 1 350 trees/hm2 (3 698.39 t/hm2), density of 1 060 trees/hm2 (3 484.10 t/hm2), density of 2 300 trees/hm2 (3 157.60 t/hm2), density of 850 trees/hm2 (2 915.03 t/hm2), and density of 3 000 trees/hm2 (2 820.81 t/hm2). 3) According to this study, the forest with density about 1 550 trees/hm2 showed better soil properties and water conservation ability than other forests. %U https://www.jnr.ac.cn/EN/10.31497/zrzyxb.20170842