Story: Kauri forest

Kauri podzol

Kauri podzol

Podzolised soils (weathered, poorly drained, acidic clays) are leached of most of the nutrients required for plant growth. However, kauri flourish on such soils and leave their mark in the form of ‘egg-cup podzols’ – nutrient-poor areas in the soil where individual trees once grew. The white streak in this soil from kauri forest in Northland is quartz sand, virtually devoid of nutrients, which have been leached to greater depths.

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Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua
Reference: Les Molloy, Soils in the New Zealand landscape: the living mantle. Wellington: Mallinson Rendel, 1988, plate 5.18
Photograph by Quentin Christie

© Copyright image. All rights reserved. Permission from Manaaki Whenua: Landcare Research New Zealand Limited must be obtained before the re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Joanna Orwin, 'Kauri forest - Kauri forest ecology', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/10027/kauri-podzol (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Joanna Orwin, published 24 Sep 2007