Abstract
The water retention and storage capacity are characterized as storage functions of beech forest soils. There has been an infrequent research focusing on these storage functionalities. This study was conducted to evaluate the high water-storage functionality of the beech forest soil; we established a research site at the Appi Plateau in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The soil water content and thickness was measured, after which we dug two soil profiles and measured its water permeability and retention capacities, which were then evaluated quantitatively. Regarding its water-retention capacity, the soils had a high water-holding capacity and high porosity; regarding the water-storage capacity, the soils had a thickness of < 1 m and fine porosity with in-situ water content; therefore, we concluded that under normal conditions, the water-storage capacity of the soil is low. Furthermore, under wetter conditions in comparison with other beech forest soil profiles in Kyushu, Kinki, and Hokuriku Districts of Japan; it was confirmed that there were similarities between soils used in this study and those gotten from other sites. In comparison with the water-storage functionalities of the Japanese cedar forest soils, we concluded that soils of the beech forest possess a high water-retention capacity, while that of the Japanese cedar forest has a high water-storage capacity.
