Pedogenic characteristics of soils distributed under Warm-temperate forest climate in Nyu mountains,Fukui Prefecture,Central Japan

The bioclimatic conditions, profile morphology and physico-chemical properties of five different soils under the Warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate, Warm-temperate lucidophyllous forest climate, and Cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate in the northern part of the Nyu mountains in Fukui Pref., Central Japan were examined. The outline of the results is as follows: 1) The Dark red soil, Kunimidake series, derived from pyroxene andesite may have been formed by the hydrothermal action of volcanism. 2) The Dry brown forest soil, Takasu-1 series, showed a brighter colour in the Bw horizon and a sudden decrease in the humus content below the AB horizon, suggesting that this soil was similar to Yellow-Brown Forest soils rather than to Brown Forest soils. 3) The Dry brown forest soil (reddish), Tega series, is likely to be a Yellow-Brown Forest soil derived from the loess which covered the underlying paleo-red soil. 4) The Red soil, Oshibayama series, was a paleo-red soil in which the upper part had been lost by erosion. 5) The Yellow soil, Yada series, on the Takasu coastal terrace was also considered to be a Yellow-Brown Forest soil affected by the seawater components from the neighboring coast. 6) It was suggested that zonal soils formed under the Warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate in the northern part of the Nyu mountains, in the northwestern region of Fukui Pref. were Yellow-Brown Forest soils like those under the Warm-temperate lucidophyllous forest climate.