Litter s'reserves,decomposition intensity,and water holding ability of four kinds of natural secondary forest in Simian Mountain,the upper area of Three Gorges Reservoir were studied.Results showed that the litters'reserve of broad leaved forest was 107.09 t/hm²,which was the highest among the four kinds of forest litters,and it was followed by co nifero us & broad leaved mixed forest(70.18t/hm²)and coniferous forest(66.65t/hm²).The litters'reserve ofPhyllostachys pubescensforest was the worst,which was only 35.37 t/ hm².The litters'max water holding capacity and water holding ability of coniferous &broad leaved mixed forest were the best among the four kinds of forest litters(89.95 t/hm²,2.25);those of broad leaved forest was second(67.33t/hm²,1.89);those of coniferous forest was third(39.83t/hm²,1.66);and those ofPhyllostachys pubescensforest was the lowest(28.07 t/hm²,1.85).In terms of litters'water holding characteristic,forest hydrological effects of coniferous&broad leaved mixed forest were the best among the four kinds of experimental natural secondary forest,and the effects of broad leaved fo rest were better.The effects of coniferous forest andPhyllostachys pubescensforest were poor,which were not suitable to be popularized in the vegetation construction for soil and water conservation in the area.