Objective This study selected the Eucalyptus maideni woodland, Cupressus duclouxiana woodland, Pinus massoniana woodland and the natural secondary shrubs, low coverage Dodonaea viscosa and high coverage D. viscosa shrubs to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of soil moisture at different vegetation restoration patterns in karst faulted basins small watershed and to provide reference for vegetation restoration in this area.

Method The rainfall and soil moisture were measured from May 2016 to April 2017 by using automatic weather observation system and soil moisture sensor. The temporal and spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture and the characteristics of soil water attenuation under drought conditions were studied by using the coefficient of variation and Kriging interpolation analysis method.

Result (1) In different soil layers of the same vegetation type, the vertical variations of soil volume water content during the rainy and dry seasons were similar, and the soil moisture content in the rainy season was significantly higher than that in the dry season (P < 0.05). Each forest was moderately variant (C_v:12.88%~28.66%). (2) In rainy and dry seasons, the distribution of active layer and sub-active layer in the same woodland was different, but the distribution was same in different soil depth of the same shrub. (3) The soil volume water content of the six kinds of woodland reached the maximum value in August to September with a sufficient rainfall, ranging from 26.25%~44.08%. In the case of obviously insufficient rainfall, March to April reached the minimum value, ranging between 9.48%~17.47%. (4) The soil volume water content of 0~30 cm soil layer of three kind woodlands and 0~10 cm soil layer of three shrub species decreased to 1 day before rainfall for about 10 days. The 10~30 cm soil layer of low coverage and high coverage D. viscosa samples returned to the level of 1 day before rainfall for about 15 days and close to the plant wilting coefficient.

Conclusion The soil volume water content of different vegetation restoration patterns in rainy season, dry season and average monthly shows that the E. maideni woodland > natural secondary shrubs > C. duclouxiana woodland > P. massoniana woodland > high coverage D. viscosa shrubs > low coverage D. viscosa shrubs. The seasonal drought and temporary drought in karst faulted basins are serious, after sufficient rainfall and reached the field capacity, the soil moisture of forest land and shrub in karst faulted basins is available to plants for 10~15 days.