China planted three types of forests on the Loess Plateau; 18 years later, natural forests held 8% more soil moisture

• Image AI generatedChina’s long-running effort to restore the degraded Loess Plateau has revealed a difference between forests planted by people and those allowed to regenerate naturally.
• Researchers spent 18 years monitoring four forest types in the region, comparing plantations of Pinus tabuliformis, Platycladus orientalis and Robinia pseudoacacia with a natural secondary forest.
• The results showed that the natural forest had 8% higher soil moisture than the planted forests, while recording greater macroporosity and stronger water movement through the soil.