- 5.4 Weathering and the Formation of Soil – Physical Geology
- 11.7: Soil Orders
- Solved Which of the following does NOT influence the kind of
- Which soil develops in high rainfall areas?
5.4 Weathering and the Formation of Soil – Physical Geology
Chapter 5 Weathering and Soil 5.4 Weathering and the Formation of Soil Weathering is a key part of the process of soil formation, and soil is critical to our existence on Earth. In other words, we owe our existence to weathering, and we need to take care of our soil! Many people refer to any loose material on Earth’s surface as soil, but to geologists (and geology students) soil is the material that includes organic matter, lies within the top few tens of centimetres of the surface, and is important in sustaining plant growth. Soil is a complex mixture of minerals (approximately 45%), organic matter (approximately 5%), and empty space (approximately 50%, filled to varying degrees with air and water). The mineral content of soils is variable, but is dominated by clay minerals and quartz, along with minor amounts of feldspar and small fragments of rock. The types of weathering that take place within a region have a major influence on soil composition and texture. For example, in a warm climate, where chemical weathering dominates, soils tend to be richer in clay. Soil scientists describe soil texture in terms of the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay, as shown in Figure 5.14. The sand and silt components in this diagram are dominated by quartz, with lesser amounts of feldspar and rock fragments, while the clay component is dominated by the clay minerals. Figure 5.14 The U.S. Department of Agriculture soil texture diagram. This diagram applies only to the mineral co...
11.7: Soil Orders
\( \newcommand\): Entisol (Image Source: USDA NRCS Used with permission) Inceptisol Inceptisols are soils just starting to show horizon development because the soil is quite young. You can see the differentiation of layers in an inceptisol formed on colluvium in West Virginia on the right. Inceptisols, like Entisols, are found in any type of environment and are commonly found forming in alluvium on floodplains and delta deposits. Figure \(\PageIndex\): Inceptisol. Click image to enlarge (Image Source: USDA NRCS Used with permission) Histosol Histosols have a very high content of organic matter in the dark upper layer of the profile. Found in many different environments from the tundra to the tropics, Histosols form in places where organic matter is slow to decompose and thus accumulates over time such as bogs and swamps. They are often "mined" for peat which is dried and burned as fuel. Figure \(\PageIndex\): Histosol. Click image to enlarge (Image Source: USDA NRCS Used with permission) Aridisol Aridisols are soils of arid and semiarid environments where moisture is scarce. They are typically light in color as there is little vegetation to add organic matter to the soil profile. A negative moisture balance in these soils inhibits eluviation. Calcification and salinization are important soil forming processes acting in these soils. Soil horizons are weakly developed and sodium is often high in concentration making them alkaline. The coarse texture of aridisols makes it dif...
Solved Which of the following does NOT influence the kind of
This problem has been solved! You'll get a detailed solution from a subject matter expert that helps you learn core concepts. See Answer See Answer See Answer done loading Question:Which of the following does NOT influence the kind of soil that develops on a site? Rainfall Wind Temperature The Atmosphere
Which soil develops in high rainfall areas?
Solution: Laterite soil develops with heavy rainfall and high temperatures. Due to heavy precipitation, the minerals in the soil dissolve in the rainwater and get carried away, resulting in the loss of soil nutrients. The process is called leaching. Not only rainfall but excess irrigation may also lead to leaching. Due to less soil fertility, laterite soil is not suitable for cultivation. Crops like coconut, rubber, tea, and coffee can be grown with proper irrigation and fertilisation. The soil is used to make building materials like bricks. As it is a weathered material, it hardens when exposed to air and is a durable building material. Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and the northeast are the areas where laterite soil is found.
