Characteristics of free sesquioxides and humic acids in soil distributed under Warm-temperate forest climate in Nyu mountains, Fukui Prefecture, Central Japan

Abstract

The activity and crystallinity ratios of free iron oxides, and the ΔlogK and RF values of humic acids were analyzed in five soil types in the Nyu mountains, Fukui Prefecture, to examine the relation between the zonality of soils and the bioclimatic conditions under the Warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate. The characteristics of free iron oxides and humic acids were as follows: The Dark red soil, Kunimidake series was a Dark Red soil under the Cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate; the Dry brown forest soil (reddish), Tega series was a Yellow-Brown Forest soil under the Warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate; the Dry brown forest soil, Takasu-1 series and the Yellow soil, Yada series were Yellow-Brown Forest soils under the Warm-temperate lucidophyllous forest climate; and the Red soil, Oshibayama series and the lower parts of the Tega series were paleo-red soils. These results indicated that zonal soils under the Warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest climate were Yellow-Brown Forest soils in the Nyu mountains, Fukui Prefecture. The Dark red soil, Kunimidake series corresponded to a Hyperdystri-Rhodic Cambisol of World Reference Base for Soil Resources, WRB (FAO, ISRIC, and ISSS: World Soil Resources Reports 84, 1998). The Dry brown forest soil (reddish), Tega series, the Dry brown forest soil, Takasu-1 series, and the Red soil, Oshibayama series were compared with the Hyperdystri-Chromic Cambisol (WRB). The Yellow soil, Yada series was a Hypereutri-Chromic Cambisol (WRB).