The document discusses soil profiles, soil genesis, and parent material classification. It defines a soil profile as the vertical cross section of soil horizons. Soil genesis refers to the evolution of soil from parent material, influenced by climate, organisms, relief, and time. Parent material is the geological material from which soil forms, and can be classified based on its mode of transportation (ice, water, wind, gravity) and degree of particle sorting. The document provides examples of different parent material types including glacial till, alluvium, loess, and residuum.

1. Sumaira Mustafa
MSBT16F17
Ms replica
Soil profile, Soil genesis, Parent material and
their Classification

2. Contents
 Introduction
 Soil functions
 Soil profile
 Components of the Soil Profile
 Horizons
 Changes to the soil profile
 Soil Genesis
 Factors Influencing Soil Formation
 Parent material
 Classification of parent material
 Parent Material Deposited by Ice
 Parent Material Deposited by Water
 Parent Material Deposited by Gravity
 Parent Material Deposited by Wind
 Parent Material Deposited by Lakes and Oceans
 Parent Material Formed in Place
 Conclusion
 References

3. SOIL
Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals,
gases, liquids, and organisms that together
support life. The Earth's body of soil is
the pedosphere,
Soil consists of a solid phase of minerals and
organic matter (the soil matrix), as well as
a porous phase that holds gases (the soil
atmosphere) and water (the soil solution).

4. Source: www.google.com

5.  Soil science has two basic branches of
study: edaphology and pedology.
1. Edaphology
 It is concerned with the influence of soils on
living things.
2. Pedology
 It is focused on the formation, description
(morphology), and classification of soils in their
natural environment.

6. SOIL FUNCTIONS
Source: www.nature.com

7. SOIL PROFILE
 A soil profile is a vertical cross section of the soil.
 When exposed, various soil horizons, or layers of soil,
become apparent.
 Each horizon of soil may be different from the other
horizons in physical or chemical ways.
 A soil profile is usually studied to a depth of 3 to 5 feet.

8. CHANGES TO THE SOIL PROFILE
Source: www.kmapes.weebly.com/geology

9. COMPONENTS OF THE SOIL
PROFILE
Regolith
 The regolith includes all of the weathered material
within the profile. The regolith has two components:
the solum and the saprolite.
a. Solum
 The solum includes the upper horizons with the most
weathered portion of the profile.
b. Saprolite
 The saprolite is the least weathered portion that lies
directly above the solid.

10. Master Horizons
 There are 6 master horizons in the soil profile. Not
all soil profiles contain all 6 horizons; and so, soil
profiles differ from one location to another. The 6
master horizons are represented by the letters: O, A,
E, B, C and R.

11. Source:www.ctahr.hawaii.edu

13. source:www.senecahs.org

14. SOIL GENESIS
 It is the evolution of the soil from parent material.
Factors Influencing Soil Formation
Source: www.en.wikipedia.org

15. Climate change

16. PARENT MATERIAL
 Parent material is the underlying geological
material (generally bedrock or
a superficial or drift deposit) in which soil
horizons form.

17. Classification
Mode of Transportation Type of Parent Material Degree of Sorting by Particle Size
Ice Glacial Till Low
Flowing Water Alluvium; Outwash Medium - High
Gravity Colluvium Low
Wind Tephra; Loess; Aeolian High
Lake Lacustrine High
Ocean Marine High
In Place (non-transported) Residual (residuum) Low

18. Type of Parent Material: Colluvium
Mode of Transportation: Gravity
Additional Information: The term colluvium
classifies parent
material transported by gravity. Colluvium is
made up of a heterogeneous mixture of
boulders, rocks, pebbles, and soil from upslope
areas. Thus the degree of particle sorting is
low.
Background Photo Source: Jim Ippolito; Northern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
1. Parent Material Deposited by Gravity

19. Source: Jim Ippolito; Northern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Type of Parent Material: Glacial Till
Mode of Transportation: Ice
Additional Information: Parent material
transported by ice is called glacial till. This
parent material is found where glaciers have
deposited material, such as in terminal or
lateral moraines. Ice is a poor sorter of
particles, and thus glacial till contains
everything from the smallest clay-sized
fraction to rocks, pebbles, and boulders.
terminal moraine
2. Parent Material Deposited by Ice

20. Source: http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/orders/andisols.html
Type of Parent Material: Tephra
Mode of Transportation: Wind
Additional Information: Parent material
transported via volcanic ejecta is called
tephra. The mode of transportation is
wind. Wind is a good sorter of particles.
Larger particles tend to bounce on the
Earth’s surface while smaller particles are
transported greater distances.
3. Parent Material Deposited by Wind

21. Type of Parent Material: Loess or Aeolian
Mode of Transportation: Wind
Additional Information: Parent material
transported by wind is called loess or
aeolian. Wind is a good sorter of particles.
Larger particles tend to bounce on the
Earth’s surface while smaller particles are
transported greater distances.
Background Photo Source: http://www.nps.gov/grsa

22. Soil developed from alluvium.
Source: http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/features/gallery/houlka.html
Type of Parent Material: Alluvium
Mode of Transportation: Water
Additional Information: Parent material
transported by flowing water (streams,
rivers) is called alluvium. Water is a good
sorter of soil particles. Larger particles
(i.e. sands) settle out of water first, and
smaller particles (i.e. clays) settle out of
water last. Thus, you tend to find sand-
sized particles closer to the water source
and clay-sized particles further away.
4. Parent Material Deposited by Water

23. Type of Parent Material: Lacustrine
Mode of Transportation: Lake
Additional Information: The term lacustrine
classifies parent material transported by a
lake. Water is acting on the parent material
and thus there is a high degree of particle
sorting.
5. Parent Material Deposited by Lakes and Oceans

24. Type of Parent Material: Marine
Mode of Transportation: Ocean
Additional Information: The term “marine” classifies
parent material transported by oceans. Water is
acting on the parent material and thus there is a
high degree of particle sorting.
Soil Profile Source: http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/features/gallery/ocilla.html

25. Type of Parent Material: Residual or Residuum.
Mode of Transportation: In place; none.
Additional Information: The terms residual or
residuum classify parent material formed in place
(i.e. non-transported). The degree of sorting is low
because no other factors have influenced soil
movement.
Soil Profile Source: http://www.mo14.nc.nrcs.usda.gov/features/goldston.html
6. Parent Material Formed in Place

26. CONCLUSION
Parent material from which soil develop vary widely around the
world from one location to another only a few meters apart.
Knowledge of these materials, their sources and origins,
mechanisms for their weathering, and means of transport and
deposition are essential to understanding soil genesis. Soil genesis
starts when layers and horizons not present in the parent material
begin to appear in the soil profile. Soil bodies are dynamic in
nature so their genetic horizons continue to develop and change.
Consequently, in some soil horizons differentiation has only
begun, while in others it is well advanced. Characterization of the
horizons in the profile leads to the identity of a soil individual
which is then subject to classification.

27. REFERENCES
 Nyle C. Brady and Ray R. Weil. The Nature and Properties of the Soil.
Fourteenth Edition.
 www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil
 www.senecahs.org
 www.ctahr.hawaii.edu
 www.eolss.net
 www.yourarticlelibrary.com
 www.passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=113
0447021&topicorder=7&maxto=7
 www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm
 www.view.officeapps.live.com