The water holding capacity was characterized for the litters from eight plantation types in the mountainous area of Napahai Plateau Wetland. The results show that,for all the eight plantation types,the semi-decomposed and decomposed layer had higher litter storage and water reserv-ing capacity than the freshly-littered layer.The litter storage decreased from highwood,shrub to waste grassland.Specifically,the litter storages of naturalPicea asperataMast,mixed forest ofPinus densataMast andRhododendron simsiiPlanch,mixed forest of Salix cupularisRehd andBetula platyphyllaSuk,Crataegus pinnatifidaBge and waste grassland demonstrated a capacity of 36.60, 30.67,26.63,25.61 and 5.30t/hm²,respectively. Comparatively,mixed forest ofSalix cupularisRehd andBetula platyphylla Suk had the highest water holding capacity,and seriously human-disturbedPinus densataMast had the lowest.The water holding capacity of the litters increased rapidly during the initial first hour,and then slightly increased after 6～10 hour saturation.The highest water absorp-tion rates were observed in the first 30minute saturation time,and thereafter the rates decreased substantially.Water loss rates were similar for all the litters,showing a linear decreas-ing trend.Systematic analysis indicated that the litter of mixed forest ofSalix cupularis Rehd andBetula platyphyllaSuk had the highest water holding capacity,the strongest flood-adjusting capacity,the most ideal water loss process and the highest water supply capacity,and the best hydro-ecological effect among the eight plantation types.