Effect of Soil Conditions on the Distribution and Growth of Trees

Abstract

Soil conditions and/or landforms have critical effects on the growth (Ricklefs 1996; Tilman 1988; Tokuchi et al. 1999) and distribution of plants (Nagamatsu and Miura 1997; Whittaker 1967). They affect plant biomass and the species composition of the plant community by controlling vegetation development. For forests, many studies have suggested that there is a close relationship between soil conditions and the vegetation pattern. As an example, Tilman (1988) suggested that the nitrogen mineralization rate affected the species composition of forests. Soil moisture, which is correlated with topography or landforms, also affects the species composition of forests (Bray and Curtis 1957; Whittaker 1967) and plant biomass (Tokuchi et al. 1999). However, in most of these previous studies, the study plots were of relatively small size and discontinuously sampled within a landscape or watershed. In the organization of the local community, spatial heterogeneity of soils or landforms should play an important role.