Author Question: What are the five primary soil forming factors? Describe each using examples. What will be an ... (Read 85 times)

123654777 · **on:** Jul 14, 2018

What are the five primary soil forming factors? Describe each using examples.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Within the deep cold zone, average temperature and salinity

A) remain fairly constant with depth.
B) decreases and then increases just above the seafloor.
C) increases and decreases, respectively.
D) decrease with depth.
E) increase with depth.

raili21 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 14, 2018

Answer to Question 1

parent material, climate, biological activity, topography, and time.
Parent materials is the material from which soils are derived. Younger soils will maintain many characteristics of their parent materials. Older soils may vary due to various changes that have occurred over time.
Climate: Soil types correlate closely with climate types worldwide. The type of soils that develop at lower latitudes with consistent sunlight and moisture vary from those that develop at higher latitudes or those that develop in arid regions.
Biological activity: Biological activity is essential to soil development. From providing important organic matter to soils to aerating soils increasing porosity and permeability, the role of micro- and macro-organisms cannot be underestimated.
Topography: Soils that develop on steep slopes will tend to be thinner than those that develop on flatter ground. Additionally, south-facing slopes in the Northern Hemisphere (or north-facing slopes in the Southern Hemisphere), will dry out faster and by typically warmer than north-facing slopes (or south, if in the Southern Hemisphere).
Time: In general, soils take a very long time to develop. Geomorphological and geological processes occurring over long periods of time influence soil development.

Answer to Question 2

A