The mountain soils of the east ridge of Mt Kinabalu

Abstract

The region of Kinabalu provides a wide variation in four of the five main soil determining factors. The range in altitude from under 2000 ft. at the foot of the east ridge near Poring to nearly 13500 ft. at the summit of Low’s Peak is responsible for wide differences in climate , especially in temperature, and in types of vegetation . Geological studies in this area (Reinhard & Wenk 1951; Collenette 1958) have shown that three very different rock types are present as parent materials for soil formation. These main rock types are granodiorites and allied plutonic acid igneous rocks, peridotites and related ultrabasic igneous rocks, and a series of interbedded shales and sandstones. Whilst the granodiorite forms the more elevated central core of the mountain and the other rock types outcrop on its flanks, small areas of the acid igneous rocks also occur at lower altitudes whilst both the shalesandstone formation and the ultrabasic igneous rocks outcrop over a wide altitudinal range. Within any one altitudinal zone the soil characteristics have also been influenced by the nature of the local relief especially the position of the soil in relation to ridge crest, valley side or valley bottom.