Soil Formation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTzslvAD1Es

What is Soil? Loose covering of broken rock particles and humus (decaying organic matter) Found in nearly all regions of the Earth Formed by chemical and physical weathering Affected by climate Four types

How Soil is Formed Requires 5 things: Creates soil horizons parent material, topography, climate, organisms, time Creates soil horizons

Weathering Physical Chemical Temperature, pressure Water (hydrolysis), oxygen (oxidation), carbon dioxide (carbonic acid), acid rain

Erosion Movement of weathered material from one location to another By water, air, ice

Topography

Climate Cool, dry, sparse vegetation Warm, wet, abundant vegetation Predominantly physical weathering Warm, wet, abundant vegetation Increased chemical weathering

Global Soil Distribution

Polar Soil Form at high latitudes/elevations Found in Greenland, Canada, Antarctica Generally have good drainage Very shallow

Temperate Soil Form in temperate areas Found in the eastern US, Europe, eastern Asia, southern Africa and South America Wide variation - based on annual rainfall amounts

Desert Soil Form in arid regions Found in western US, northern Africa, Australia, Middle East, parts of Russia & China Can only support a limited amount of vegetation

Tropical Soil Form in areas that have high temperatures & heavy rainfall Found in South America, central Africa, India, Indonesia Soil is generally very poor in nutrients

Soil Horizons OA B C R

Geohazards

Geohazards Landslides Mudslides Avalanches Falling rock Volcanoes Earthquakes Floods

Geohazard Protection