Influence of soil properties on street tree performance in Kyoto City, Japan

The soil environment has been increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing urban tree performance. Soil constraints in highly developed urban areas in Japan necessitate a better understanding of soil properties; however, there is a lack of relevant information. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the influence of soil physical, chemical, and hardness properties on street trees through a case study in Kyoto City. Soil samples were collected from 30 street trees of Ginkgo biloba L. from June to July in 2020 and the soil hardness measurements were recorded. The results reveal that relatively homogeneous streetscape soils in Kyoto City are well suited for growth of trees, and that soil hardness (50–60 layers) might strongly influence the tree attributes of G. biloba. Based on the results, it is inferred that future studies should include other tree species, a broader study area, and a more comprehensive soil variable system to confirm their predictive capabilities for street tree performance.