Abstract: In this paper, the spatial distribution pattern of soil moisture at the boundary of forestland-grassland in hilly area of Loess Plateau was studied in dry season of June and rainy season of August 2004. The results showed that the variance coefficient of soil moisture content was smaller, and the difference of moisture content between soil layers was less significant in forestland than in grassland in June while reversed in August. There was a weak or medium differentiation of moisture content in different soil layers at the boundary of forestland-grassland. The edge effect area at the boundary was from 2 m (0.4 of tree height) outside forestland to 2 m inside forestland in June, and from 2 m outside forestland to 4 m (0.8 of tree height) inside forestland in August. The forestland-grassland landscape could be divided into 3 parts, i.e., grassland area, forest edge area, and forestland area, and the vertical distribution of soil moisture in these three parts showed different traits. In June, soil moisture content increased with increasing soil depth, with a smaller increment in grassland than in forestland, but in August, it was reversed. The vertical distribution of soil moisture at forest edge area showed an in-between feature.

Key words: Changbai Mountain, Forest-swamp ecotone, Analysis of community, environmental gradient