Elements of Soil

Formation
Sabah Mirza
7th Semester
 3 Main Horizons
• A horizon—humus-rich topsoil where
nutrient, organic matter and biological
activity are highest.
• B horizon—clay-rich subsoil. This
horizon is often less fertile than the
topsoil but holds more moisture.
• C horizon—underlying weathered rock
(from which the A and B horizons
form).
Factors affecting Soil Formation

• Soil forms continuously, but slowly, from the gradual

breakdown of rocks through weathering.
• Physical Weathering—breakdown of rocks from the
result of a mechanical action. Temperature changes,
abrasion.
• Chemical Weathering—breakdown of rocks through a
change in their chemical makeup.
• Biological Weathering—the breakdown of rocks by
living things. Burrowing animals etc .
Five main interacting factors
affect the FORMATION OF
SOIL ;
• Parent Material
• Living Organisms
• Climate
• Topography
• Time
Parent Material ;
Soil minerals form the basis of soil through the
processes of weathering .
• interaction, living organisms and pressure
differences all help breakdown parent material.
The types of parent materials and the conditions
under which they break down will influence the
properties of the soil formed . for example ,
• clay soils.
 Major Parent Material ;

Till
Soils formed in this material generally have silty clay
loam to silty clay textures, many different rock sizes
and poor internal drainage.
Loess
Loess is windblown, silt-sized material deposited
after the glacier melted.
Lacustrine ;
Lacustrine parent materials result from sediment
deposited in lakes formed by glacial meltwater. The
lakes existed long enough that the large particles,
such as rocks and sand, were deposited immediately
after the lake was formed, while the smaller clay-
sized particles were deposited later .
Biota ;

Soil Organisms
Organisms in the soil can speed up or slow down soil
formation. For example,
Microorganisms can facilitate chemical reactions or excrete
organic substances to improve water infiltration in the soil.
Formation of soil by digging and mixing soil materials, and
destroying soil horizons that have formed. This begins to
change the soil e.g bacteria, fungi, worms and other
burrowers performs their activities.
Vegetation ;
Soils formed under forests tend to be more
weathered (older in soil terms) because forests grow
in higher rainfall areas. There’s more water
movement in the root zone, and a smaller amount of
organic matter forms.
Soils formed in prairie tend to be in areas with less
precipitation. Grasses tend to use the provided
moisture, reducing the water
Climate ;
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