2
Soil-Forming Factors
Kenji Tamura, Hideki Miura, Shinji Kaneko, Tetsuya Sano,
and Hideo Kubotera
Abstract
Because the current climate zone of Japan ranges from
subtropical to subarctic, soil temperature regime also
varies from hyperthermic to frigid. The annual precipitation ranges from less than 1000 to over 2500 mm. The
Pleistocene climate also affected the development of soils
of Japan through formation and deposition of soil parent
materials. The outline of the landforms has mainly been
formed by the subduction of the tectonic plates in the
vicinity, leading to a long and complicated history of the
geology. The Japanese Islands constitute the most
prominent volcanic area in the world with more than
111 active volcanoes. The plains are divided into the
coastal plains and the inland mountain basin. A wide
range of wind-blown dust, including Kosa, has been
added to various sediments. The vegetation is characterized by a large number of species and a high percentage
of endemic species due to a large variation in landscape,
geology and climate. The majority of mountainous, hilly
and volcanic areas are covered with forests. Most
agricultural lands in cities situated in flat areas and
suburban alluvial lowlands are mainly used for paddy
fields, and higher terraces are used for upland cultivation.
Keywords
Agriculture Á Climate Á Geology Á Geomorphology Á
Landscape Á Vegetation
2.1 Climate
2.1.1 Current Climate
Climate influences soil development through differences in
mean annual and seasonal temperature and moisture and
through extremes in these parameters (Bockheim and Hartemink 2017). Matsui (1988) emphasized that the climate
formed various temperature and moisture regimes in soils
which affect their physical, chemical and biological processes. Soils distributed according to climate zone are called
zonal soils (Matsui 2001). The climate zone of Japan ranges
from subtropical to subarctic. Therefore, soil is distributed
from podzols to red–yellow soils. Podzols are distributed in
northern Hokkaido (Fig. 2.1) and in the subalpine zone of
Central Japan, whereas red–yellow soils are distributed
mainly in the Nansei Islands (Fig. 2.2).
The mean annual air temperature in Japan varies considerably, as shown in Fig. 2.3. In northern Hokkaido, the
average annual temperature is less than 5 °C, while in the
Southwest Islands it is over 20 °C. In the Köppen climate
classification, the Hokkaido region belongs to the subarctic
zone, while the Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu regions
belong to the temperate zone.
Figure 2.4 shows the annual precipitation in Japan. In the
eastern part of Hokkaido, the annual precipitation is less than
1000 mm, while in the Hokuriku, Shikoku and Kyushu
regions it is over 2500 mm. Since Japan experiences a
humid climate, soil nutrients are eluted with precipitation
and subsequently transported downward. As a result, the
base saturation of the soil is low and the soil is acidic. On the
Sea of Japan side, large amounts of snow fall in winter,
K. Tamura (&)
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University
of Tsukuba, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
e-mail: tamura.kenji.gn@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
H. Miura
National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa City, Tokyo,
Japan
S. Kaneko
Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research
Center, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
T. Sano
Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku Institute of Technology,
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
H. Kubotera
Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba City,
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
R. Hatano et al. (eds.), The Soils of Japan, World Soils Book Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8229-5_2
13
Soil-Forming Factors
Kenji Tamura, Hideki Miura, Shinji Kaneko, Tetsuya Sano,
and Hideo Kubotera
Abstract
Because the current climate zone of Japan ranges from
subtropical to subarctic, soil temperature regime also
varies from hyperthermic to frigid. The annual precipitation ranges from less than 1000 to over 2500 mm. The
Pleistocene climate also affected the development of soils
of Japan through formation and deposition of soil parent
materials. The outline of the landforms has mainly been
formed by the subduction of the tectonic plates in the
vicinity, leading to a long and complicated history of the
geology. The Japanese Islands constitute the most
prominent volcanic area in the world with more than
111 active volcanoes. The plains are divided into the
coastal plains and the inland mountain basin. A wide
range of wind-blown dust, including Kosa, has been
added to various sediments. The vegetation is characterized by a large number of species and a high percentage
of endemic species due to a large variation in landscape,
geology and climate. The majority of mountainous, hilly
and volcanic areas are covered with forests. Most
agricultural lands in cities situated in flat areas and
suburban alluvial lowlands are mainly used for paddy
fields, and higher terraces are used for upland cultivation.
Keywords
Agriculture Á Climate Á Geology Á Geomorphology Á
Landscape Á Vegetation
2.1 Climate
2.1.1 Current Climate
Climate influences soil development through differences in
mean annual and seasonal temperature and moisture and
through extremes in these parameters (Bockheim and Hartemink 2017). Matsui (1988) emphasized that the climate
formed various temperature and moisture regimes in soils
which affect their physical, chemical and biological processes. Soils distributed according to climate zone are called
zonal soils (Matsui 2001). The climate zone of Japan ranges
from subtropical to subarctic. Therefore, soil is distributed
from podzols to red–yellow soils. Podzols are distributed in
northern Hokkaido (Fig. 2.1) and in the subalpine zone of
Central Japan, whereas red–yellow soils are distributed
mainly in the Nansei Islands (Fig. 2.2).
The mean annual air temperature in Japan varies considerably, as shown in Fig. 2.3. In northern Hokkaido, the
average annual temperature is less than 5 °C, while in the
Southwest Islands it is over 20 °C. In the Köppen climate
classification, the Hokkaido region belongs to the subarctic
zone, while the Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu regions
belong to the temperate zone.
Figure 2.4 shows the annual precipitation in Japan. In the
eastern part of Hokkaido, the annual precipitation is less than
1000 mm, while in the Hokuriku, Shikoku and Kyushu
regions it is over 2500 mm. Since Japan experiences a
humid climate, soil nutrients are eluted with precipitation
and subsequently transported downward. As a result, the
base saturation of the soil is low and the soil is acidic. On the
Sea of Japan side, large amounts of snow fall in winter,
K. Tamura (&)
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University
of Tsukuba, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
e-mail: tamura.kenji.gn@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
H. Miura
National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa City, Tokyo,
Japan
S. Kaneko
Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research
Center, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
T. Sano
Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku Institute of Technology,
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
H. Kubotera
Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba City,
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
R. Hatano et al. (eds.), The Soils of Japan, World Soils Book Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8229-5_2
13