Forest Soils of the Shinshu University Forest of Nishikoma

The investigation was carried out in the Shinshu University Forest of Nishikoma in order to make clear its soil properties. The forest area occupies the both side of the upper stream of Oguro-river, which rises from near Mt. Shogigashira, and is about 251 ha. in extent and from 1400 to 2640 m. above the sea-level in elevation. Mother rock consists of metamorphic rocks derived from paraeozoic rock (biotite slate, sand stone) and of Kisokoma granite I (medium-grained hornblende-biotite granodiorite). The former occupies the lower part of this area, and the later the upper part (highter than 1800 or 1900 m.). The climatological data of the area are given in Table I. Soil type of forest in the area is given in Table 2. The typical type of forest soil was P_D (P_, P_ and P_). B_B and B_D type were found on the midle portion of slope. B_E type was found on the lower part of this area along valley. B_B, B_D and B_E type were covered mainly with natural mixed forest of Fagus crenata, Acea crataegifolium, Chamaecyparis pisifera and Abies veitchii etc. P_D type was found on the ridge or highest part of this area, andwas covered mainly natural forest, which was made up of the alpine trees such as Tsuga diversifolia, Abies veitchii, Betula ermanii and Sorbus commixta etc. Some chemical and physical properties of the soil are given in Table 3, 4 and Fig. 19.Article信州大学農学部演習林報告 5: 45-74(1968)departmental bulletin pape