Abstract: The effect of interplanting tallow trees in tea plantations on microclimatic environment were studied on red soils of Huangshan region, Anhui Province. Tallow trees could appropriately shade the tea trees with the aid of their sparse canopies in summer and autumn. In tea-tallow tree interpiantation, the total solar radiation is lower than the light saturation point of tea trees and the diffuse radiation of is higher than that of pure tea plantation.The ratio of diffuse radiation to direct radiation is 0.78—0.90. The temperature and humidity are regulated and adapted to the growth of tea plant. The roots of tea and tallow trees are able to take water from upper and deep soil layers respectively, and the utilization rate of soil water is increased. Therefore, interplanting tallow trees in tea plantations could keep tea trees from the harm of hot and dry weather in summer and increase the yield and quality of tea. It is suggested that tea-tallow interplantation is an artificial ecological pattern producing green teas of high quality in tea planting area.

Key words: Tea plantation, Tallow tree, Climatic ecological effect, landscape connectivity, distance threshold, the middle reaches of the Heihe River., ecological security, ecological land