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Feb 19, 2022 · Continued weathering and soil horizon development process leads to the development of a soil profile, the vertical display of soil horizons. Watch the typical progression of a soil profile then read the description below of a generic, fully developed soil.
- Soil Properties
Soil structure is the way soil particles aggregate together...
- Factors Affecting Soil Development
Horizon development processes continue to differentiate...
- 16.4: Soil Profiles
Soil formation begins first with the break down of rock into...
- 13.6: Soils
A buried soil profile, or paleosol (above geologist ‘s...
- Soil Properties
Apr 27, 2024 · Soil formation begins first with the break down of rock into regolith. Continued weathering and soil horizon development process leads to the development of a soil profile, the vertical display of soil horizons. The image below is of a generic, fully developed soil with all common horizons present.
- Climate
- Organisms
- Relief
- Parent Material
- Time
The role of climate in soil development includes aspects of temperature and precipitation. Soils in very cold areas with permafrost conditions tend to be shallow and weakly developed due to the short growing season. Organic rich surface horizons are common in low-lying areas due to limited decomposition. In warm, tropical soils, soils tend to be th...
Animals, plants, and microorganisms all have important roles in soil development processes, in providing a supply of organic matter, and/or in nutrient cycling. Worms, nematodes, termites, ants, gophers, moles, etc. all cause considerable mixing of soil and help to blend soil, aerate and lighten the soil by creating pores (which help store water an...
The local landscape can have a surprisingly strong effect on the soils that form on site. The local topography (relief) can have important microclimatic effects as well as affecting rates of soil erosion. In comparison to flat regions, areas with steep slopes overall have more soil erosion, more runoff of rainwater, and less water infiltration, all...
The parent materialof a soil is the material from which the soil has developed, whether it be river sands, shoreline deposits, glacial deposits, or various types of bedrock. In youthful soils, the parent material has a clear connection to the soil type and has significant influence. Over time, as weathering processes deepen, mix, and alter the soil...
In general, soil profiles tend to become thicker (deeper), more developed, and more altered over time. However, the rate of change is greater for soils in youthful stages of development. The degree of soil alteration and deepening slows with time and at some point, after tens or hundreds of thousands of years, may approach an equilibrium condition ...
- Matthew R. Fisher
- 2017
Dec 13, 2023 · The soil profile is a vertical cross-sectional view of the soil strata present in a certain area. Naturally occurring strata that run parallel to the ground’s surface are known as soil horizons. On exposure, different soil horizons become visible.
Aug 11, 2022 · A buried soil profile, or paleosol (above geologist ‘s head), represents soil development during the last interglacial period. A modern soil profile (Alfisol) occurs near the land surface. Source: D. Grimley.
A modern soil profile (Alfisol) occurs near the land surface. Source: D. Grimley. Soil plays a role in nearly all biogeochemical cycles on the Earth’s surface. Global cycling of key elements such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and phosphorous (P) all pass through soil.
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With clues provided by soil profile, we can begin to predict how a soil will perform under certain nutrient management conditions. In the previous section, we looked at how soil is actually an integration of water, air, minerals and organic matter.
