Effect of forest conversion on soil water infiltration in the Dabie mountainous area, China

The Dabie mountainous area, China. Soil infiltration is a hydrological process dramatically affected by land use/cover changes. Soil infiltration characteristics, litter, root traits, and soil properties were monitored and the contributions of litter, root traits and soil properties on soil infiltrability were evaluated under Castanea mollissima forest (CMF), Castanea mollissima-tea inter-planting forest (CMTF), Camellia oleifera forest (COF), and Camellia oleifera-tea inter-planting forest (COTF), and miscellaneous woody forest (MWF, as the control). Significant differences were found in soil water infiltration following the change from natural to economic forest ( p < 0.05). Soil initial infiltration rate ( IIR ), average infiltration ( AIR ), and steady infiltration rate ( SIR ) decreased by 35.65–61.59 %, 55.98–76.17 %, and 46.34–69.46 %, respectively. Soil water infiltration was more susceptible to soil properties than litter characteristics or root traits. Clay content was the primary factor affecting soil water infiltration. However, land use and management may drastically change litter and root trait conditions, which regulate soil properties, especially clay content. Therefore, management of slopping economic forests should improve the condition of litter and root traits to reduce soil and water loss hazards. • Converting natural forests to economic forests markedly decreased soil water infiltration rates. • Tea inter-planting improved soil water infiltrability when compared with monoculture. • Soil properties have a more significant potential to regulate soil water infiltration than litter and root traits. • Conversion from natural forests to economic forests affects soil properties and soil infiltrability by regulating litter, root traits, and clay content that has a higher contribution to soil infiltrability.