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To reveal the litter water-holding capacity of typical forest in Mopan mountain in central Yunnan Plateau, in this study, the litters of five typical forest types, namely Pinus armandii (PA), Pinus yunnanensis (PY), Quercus semecarpifolia (QS), Keteleeria evelyniana (KE), and evergreen broad-leaved (EB) forest were selected as research objects. The water-holding capacity of different forest litters were analyzed by the field investigation and indoor soaking experiment. The results showed that, (1)the total biomass of five typical forests litter were ranged from 26. 46 t/ hm2 to 69. 83 t/ hm², with the largest biomass in EB; and the biomass of different decomposition layers from large to small showed: DL, SL, and UL. (2) The average maximum water-holding rate (395. 94%, 370. 89%) and effective water storage rate (275. 91%, 266. 90%) of EB and KE were significantly lower than those of other forest, and the maximum water-holding capacity (24. 82 t/ hm², 23. 33 t/ hm²)and effective storage capacity (17. 04 t/ hm², 17. 08 t/ hm²) of EB and PY were higher than those of other forest. The maximum water holding capacity and effective storage capacity of litter layer of five forest increased with the increasing of decomposition degree in different decomposition layers. (3)The power function relation were found between water loss rate and air-drying time in different forest litters, and the lowest water loss rate and the best water-holding capacity were found in EB among five forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]