Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
between such aggradational processes as weathering and translocation, and degradational
processes, principally erosion and leaching. The nature and properties of the soils that
eventually form depend on the relative influences of the five soil forming factors
discussed below and their expression through the medium of soil processes.
This chapter describes the differentiation of soils into horizons or layers and examines
the factors important in soil formation. It discusses the major weathering processes that
alter parent and soil materials and the pedogenetic processes that are the proximal
agencies of soil formation and modification. It briefly describes the geographical
distributions of the major weathering and pedogenetic processes, the principal soils
that result and discusses approaches to their classification under various national and
international systems.
