What are the factors that help in soil formation ?
Answers
Climatic Factors
Topographic Factors
Geologic Factors
Biologic Factors
Time Factors
We’ll talk a little bit more about each of these below! You can also click on the links above to learn more details.
Climate
The first factor is climate. The temperature and amount of rain and other precipitation play a big role in soil formation! They affect the amount of erosion and weatheringthat occurs.
The moisture in the soil depends both on the amount of rain and how hot it is. This affects the chemical and biologicalreactions that occur in the soil. The strength of the wind also plays a role in erosion!
Climate can influence whether the soil is moist and rich or dry and crumbly.
Climate also affects the type of plants,animals, and other organisms that live in an area. These organisms also influence the formation of soil!
Topography
The topography, or slope, shape, and height of landforms, also plays a role in soil formation. Gravity pulls on the soil that forms on steep slopes, causing it to slide down to the bottom. This is part of the reason why mountains often have very little soil. Meanwhile, the valleys between the mountains often have very rich soil.
Geology
The most important geologic factor is the parent material of the soil. The parent material refers to the rocks, minerals, ororganic material that form the soil. Sometimes the soil forms from thebedrock right underneath. Other times, it’s carried by water, wind or glaciers from another location!
As glaciers move, they carve into rock, bringing bits of the rock with them. This rock can later become soil!
Biology
As we talked about before, the organisms that live in an area affect soil formation. Plant roots hold onto the soil and protect it from erosion. Animals burrow into the ground, mixing up the soil. Material from dead organisms gets broken down byfungi and bacteria. This then also becomes part of the soil!
Time
Finally, all these factors take a long timeto change the soil. And the soil in an area is never done changing! If any of the other factors change over time, they will also change the soil.
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Soil
The thin layer of grainy substance covering the surface of the earth and closely linked to the land. Landforms determine the type of soil. Soil is made up of organic matter, minerals and weathered rocks found on the earth through the process of weathering. The right mix of minerals and organic matter make the soil fertile.
Factors of Soil Formation:
Parent Rock: The parent rock determines the colour, texture, permeability, chemical property and mineral content of the soil.
Climate: Temperature and rainfall influence the rate of weathering.
Relief: Altitude and slope determine the accumulation of soil at a place.
Flora, fauna and microorganism: These are the biotic factors which affect the rate of humus formation.
Time: Time determines the thickness of soil profile.