The process of soil formation
Answers
The accumulation of material through the action of water, wind and gravity also contributes to soil formation. These processes can be very slow, taking many tens of thousands of years. Five main interacting factors affect the formation of soil:
- parent material—minerals forming the basis of soil
The types of parent materials and the conditions under which they break down will influence the properties of the soil formed. For example, soils formed from granite are often sandy and infertile whereas basalt under moist conditions breaks down to form fertile, clay soils.
- living organisms—influencing soil formation
As soil forms, plants begin to grow in it. The plants mature, die and new ones take their place. Their leaves and roots are added to the soil. Animals eat plants and their wastes and eventually their bodies are added to the soil.
- climate—affecting the rate of weathering and organic decomposition
Temperature affects the rate of weathering and organic decomposition. With a colder and drier climate, these processes can be slow but, with heat and moisture, they are relatively rapid. Rainfall dissolves some of the soil materials and holds others in suspension. The water carries or leaches these materials down through the soil. Over time this process can change the soil, making it less fertile.
- topography—grade of slope affecting drainage, erosion and deposition .
The shape, length and grade of a slope affects drainage. The aspect of a slope determines the type of vegetation and indicates the amount of rainfall received. These factors change the way soils form. Soil materials are progressively moved within the natural landscape by the action of water, gravity and wind (for example, heavy rains erode soils from the hills to lower areas, forming deep soils).
- time—influencing soil properties.
Soil properties may vary depending on how long the soil has been weathered. Minerals from rocks are further weathered to form materials such as clays and oxides of iron and aluminium. Queensland (and Australia) is a very old weathered landscape with many ancient soils.
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Explanation:Parent materials. Soil minerals form the basis of soil. They are produced from rocks (parent material) through the processes of weathering and natural erosion. Water, wind, temperature change, gravity, chemical interaction, living organisms and pressure differences all help break down parent material.