Abstract:Many factors such as the types of forests influence snow processes in forest ecosystems, but the effects of forest cover on snow hydrology are not well defined in Xiaoxing’an Mountains of northeastern China. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of forest types on snowpack properties by measuring snow depth, snow density and snow water equivalence (SWE) during snowpack accumulation and snowmelt. The results indicated that the noticeable differences in the mean snow depth and the mean SWE were found between the mixed spruce-fir Korean pine forest and the opening site. The degree of heterogeneity in SWE variations in the mixed spruce-fir Korean pine forest was higher than the white birch forest and the opening. The Maximum snow water equivalence (MSWE) was reduced by 26.08% in the mixed coniferous forest and 5.43% in the white birch forest compared with the opening site. The mean ground snow densities in the three sites were not significantly different. The mean ablation rate was 1.52 mm SWE/day (76% of the opening) in the mixed coniferous forest and 2.05 mm SWE/day (94% of the opening) in the white birch forest. But, the differences of the mean daily melt in the three sites were not significant. The mixed coniferous forest and the white birch forest intercepted 24.02 mm SWE/27.27% of snowfall and 5.43 mm SWE/6.16% snowfall, respectively. The mean interception in the mixed coniferous forest was significantly greater than the white birch forest. Our results demonstrated that the mixed coniferous forest cover could have a remarkable effect on snow accumulation and interception.