[Objective] Studying the relationship between soil hydro-physical properties and litter carbon return in restored degraded land is beneficial to understanding the hydrological functions associated with different restoration measures.[Methods] Soil moisture characteristics in different soil layers(0-80 cm) and litter carbon were examined in four typical vegetation types in eroded area of red soil, i.e. Citrus reticulata Banco forest, enclosed forest, Schima superba-Pinus massoniana mixed forest and broad-leaved forest, based on field investigations and laboratory tests.[Results] (1) The soil water content decreased with the increases of soil water suction. The average soil water content with a treatment of 1500 kPa water suction, compared with the treatment of 2.5 kPa water treatment, was reduced more in Citrus reticulata Banco forest[(45.92%) than in other vegetation types(enclosed forest(45.10%), Schima superba-Pinus massoniana mixed forest(38.79%), broad-leaved forest(31.20%)].(2) The soil water content decreased with the increases in soil depth. Among different water suction treatments, soil water content in the bottom soil layer(60-80 cm) varied between 30.11% to 9.72% in Citrus reticulata Banco forest, 31.81% to 24.46% in enclosed forest, 24.46% to 5.49% in Schima superba-Pinus massoniana mixed forest and 8.21% to 0.24% in broad-leaved forest. The reductions in soil water content in broad-leaved forest were smallest among four vegetation types.(3) The total litter carbon significantly varied among four vegetation types, i.e. Schima superba-Pinus massoniana mixed forest(1915.79 kg/hm²) >broad-leaved forest(1414.84 kg/hm²) >forbidden forest(1212.32 kg/hm²) >Citrus reticulata Banco forest(633.88 kg/hm²). The carbon return of broad leaf and saturated water content in broad-leaved forest were larger than those in Schima superba-Pinus massoniana mixed forest, showing greater consistency.[Conclusion] Soil water-preserving and holding capacity in broad-leaved forest is the best. The carbon return of broad leaf had greater impacts on soil water content than other factors.