[Response characteristics of soil water use patterns by different plants to precipitation in rocky mountainou areas.]
Water-use characteristics of plants are important for vegetation restoration in shallow earth-rock mountain area. In this study, soil and plant samples of Platycladus orientalis and corn were collected after rainfall events in Yingwugou watershed of Dan River to analyze the signatures of oxygen isotopes and the response of water use patterns to precipitation using stable isotope technology. The results showed that there were different response characteristics of the soil water utilization to precipitation between P. orientalis and corn. The root of P. orientalis mainly used the soil moisture from 10-30 cm layer, while corn mainly used that in the depth of 0-20 cm. The water absorption depth (WAP) of P. orientalis root decreased from 20-30 cm to 10-20 cm, while that of corn altered from 10-20 cm to 0-20 cm, when precipitation decreased from 29 mm to 8 mm. The WAP of P. orientalis gradually changed from deep to shallow soil, while the main WAP of corn increased from 10-20 cm to 0-20 cm, whenprecipitation decreased. The response of P. orientalis and corn to precipitation was very obvious.