Change in Soil Temperature and Moisture Content After Removal of the A0 Layer in Pinus densiflora Forest: A Case Study of a Mountain Where Matsutake Mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake) Grow

Abstract

<span style=font-size:11.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;color:windowtext=>1. <span style=font-size:11.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;color:windowtext=>Abstract <span style=mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family: times= new= roman,serif;color:windowtext=>One of the recommended methods for managing a red pine (Pinus densiflora) forest, where Matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake) are cultured, is to remove the surface litter layer (A0 layer). In this study, we evaluated the effect of removing the A0 layer on soil temperature and moisture content. Two study plots, one of which had the A0 layer removed and the other with the A0 layer left intact, were established on a sloping terrain in a P. densiflora forest in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Soil temperature and moisture content were recorded in the two survey areas (and at two positions of the slope in each area) from July 2016 to April 2017. Although there were no clear changes in soil temperature, the removal of the A0 layer rendered the soil temperature more susceptible to external temperature. Conversely, there was a clear difference in soil moisture content between the two study plots, whereby removing the A0 layer significantly increased the soil moisture content. The poor permeability of the A0 layer may have promoted a high runoff of surface flow down the slope. 2. Keywords: <span style=font-size:10.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif=> <span style=font-size:10.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;mso-bidi-language:en-us=>A0 Layer; Forest Management; Matsutake; Permeability; Soil Moisture; Soil Temperature