Distribution of Soil Moisture under Different Planted Shrubs on the West Loess Plateau

The distribution of soil moisture on slope in the western loess hilly areas was studied based on the observed data of soil moisture content under different shrubs in different habitats with neutron moisture meter. The results showed that soil moisture content was the highest on shady slope,then on semi-shady and semi-sunny slopes,and it was the lowest on sunny slope. There was a significant positive correlation between slope aspect and soil moisture storage,and the correlation between slope position and soil moisture storage was not significant. For the same slope aspect,Caragana korshinskii and Helianthemum soongoricum consumed more soil moisture than other shrubs,and the soil moisture consumption of Caragana opulens,C. roborovskyi and Lycium chinense was low.Therefore,the choice of shrubs for regenerating vegetation on different slope aspects should depend on the drought resistance of plant species. Horizontally,soil moisture content increased generally along with the increase of distance away from rhizosphere,but there was a difference of soil moisture content among different soil depth.