This study purposed to examine the water retention capacity of floor litter in deciduous forests. Water holding capacity(WHC) and interception storage capacity of Alnus hirsuta Turcz. ex Rupr., Quercus acutissima, Quercus mongolica litters were experimentally estimated. Physical characteristics of litters were also obtained to understand the relationships between water-retention capacity and litter characteristics. Experiments showed that WHC increases with specific volume of litter, varying 244.4% to 416.8% of its dry mass. Interception storage have estimated with rainfall simulation experiments. Maximum interception storage (<TEX>$C_{max}$</TEX>) and minimum interception storage (<TEX>$C_{min}$</TEX>) of litters were 220% and 138% of dry mass in Alnus hirsuta Turcz. ex Rupr., 218% and 137% in Quercus acutissima, and 240% and 156% in Quercus mongolica. Both <TEX>$C_{max}$</TEX> and <TEX>$C_{min}$</TEX> increased linearly with litter mass, and the values of <TEX>$C_{min}$</TEX> in broadleaf litters have also linear relation to leaf area.
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