Barrons AP Environmental Science

Figure  1.15    Soil    profile

Soils develop in response to several factors:

■ PARENT MATERIAL: refers to the rock and minerals from which the soil
derives. The nature of the parent rock, which can be either native to the
area or transported to the area by wind, water, or glacier, has a direct
effect on the ultimate soil profile.

■ CLIMATE: measured by precipitation and temperature. It results in partial
weathering of the parent material, which forms the substrate for soil.