Impacts of varied tending intensities on water conservation capacity of plantations and screening of functional species

Wang Kehan, Bian Zhengping, Yang Anna, Li Dongbin, Li Xiupeng, Yu Minfen, Xu Mingshan, Yang Xiaodong

Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition） ›› 2026, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (5) : 119-130.

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南京林业大学学报（自然科学版）
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Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition） ›› 2026, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (5) : 119-130. DOI: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202602014

Impacts of varied tending intensities on water conservation capacity of plantations and screening of functional species

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Abstract

【Objective】This study aims to investigate the effects of different tending intensities on forest soil water-holding capacity, so as to provide a scientific basis for enhancing water conservation functions and optimizing tending management.【Method】Typical plantation forests in the Siming Mountain area of Ningbo were selected. Soil water-holding capacity indicators and plant functional traits were measured in four tending treatments: unmanaged, light tending, moderate tending, and heavy tending. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and linear mixed-effects models (LMM) were employed to evaluate the effects of tending intensity on soil water-holding capacity, community functional trait composition, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms, and to identify species with high water conservation potential.【Result】(1) Maximum water-holding capacity, minimum water-holding capacity, and capillary water-holding capacity all attained their highest values under light tending, reaching 332.06, 232.73, and 273.18 t/hm2, respectively, and declined significantly with increasing tending intensity (P < 0.05). In contrast, non-capillary water-holding capacity increased with tending intensity and reached its maximum under heavy tending (106.82 t/hm2). (2) Tending intensity significantly affected growth-structural traits, including basal diameter, tree height, crown area, and individual leaf area (P < 0.05), whereas resource-use traits such as specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content did not differ significantly among treatments. (3) Both growth-structural traits and resource-use traits exerted positive effects on the integrated soil water-holding capacity, with the strongest positive effect observed under light tending. (4) Water conservation potential varied considerably among species. Chamaecyparis obtusa exhibited the highest standardized water conservation score (1.00), followed by Pinus hwangshanensis (0.79) and Prunus buergeriana (0.67).【Conclusion】Tending intensity influences forest soil water-holding capacity by regulating community functional trait combinations. Soil water-holding capacity was optimal under light tending, indicating that appropriate tending is an effective management strategy for improving the water conservation function of plantation forests. Chamaecyparis obtusa, Pinus hwangshanensis, and Prunus buergeriana possess high water conservation potential and can be recommended as preferred species for the establishment of water-conservation-oriented plantations.

Key words

plantation / soil water holding capacity / tending / thinning / community function / functional species / functional trait combination / linear mixed-effects model

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Wang Kehan , Bian Zhengping , Yang Anna , et al . Impacts of varied tending intensities on water conservation capacity of plantations and screening of functional species[J]. Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition）. 2026, 50(5): 119-130 https://doi.org/10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202602014

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