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The Soil Resource: Foundation of Terrestrial Ecosystems. The Soil Resource is:. 1. A dynamic natural body composed of mineral matter, organic matter, gases and living organisms in which plants grow.
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The Soil Resource: Foundation of Terrestrial Ecosystems
The Soil Resource is: 1. A dynamic natural body composed of mineral matter, organic matter, gases and living organisms in which plants grow. 2. The collection of natural bodies occupying the Earth’s surface that support plants and have properties due to the integrated effects of climate and living organisms acting upon mineral material, as conditioned by relief, over periods of time.
Factors Influencing Soil Formation 1. Climate - Temperature & precipitation 2. Living Organisms- Animals (humans too), Plants, & Microorganisms 3. Parent Material - Physical & chemical properties of geologic materials 4. Topography - Landform, slope & aspect 5. Time - Duration over which climate and living organisms have influenced parent material
Old Growth Douglas-fir Coast Range in Western Oregon Soil Vegetation
Desert Grassland Great Basin, New Mexico Vegetation Soil
Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Northern New Mexico Vegetation Soil
Alpine Meadow Continental Divide, Colorado Vegetation Soil
Lodgepole Pine Forest Front Range, Colorado Vegetation Soil
Shortgrass Steppe Central Colorado Vegetation Soil
Tallgrass Prairie Eastern Kansas Vegetation Soil
Oak Savanna Northcentral Wisconsin Vegetation Soil
Northern Hardwood Forest Northern Lake States & New England Vegetation Soil
What Controls the Geographic Distribution of Soil and Vegetation?
Geological History: The Key to Understanding the Occurrence of Vegetation and Soil
Geological History: The Key to Understanding the Occurrence of Vegetation and Soil