Land Forming Factors: Here's An Explanation And The Processes

Land-forming factor (Freepik Image)

YOGYAKARTA - The soil is the top layer on the Earth's surface which is a place of life for various living things. The process of soil formation cannot be separated from a number of complex soil-forming factors, such as climate, organism, parent material, topography, and time. Each of these factors plays an important role in determining the characteristics and quality of the soil formed. The following is a more in-depth explanation of the process and factors forming the soil.

Process Formation Of Land

The process of soil formation begins with rock weathering, which can occur through physical and chemical weathering. Physical weathering involves changes to rocks mechanically, such as when rocks break down to smaller due to changes in temperature or pressure. Meanwhile, chemical weathering changes the chemical composition of rocks through reactions with water, air, or organic acid.

When rocks begin to soften or experience compositional changes, soil materials begin to form slowly. This process will continue until the parent rock completely decays into nutrient-rich soil. Some of the main factors affect the rate and type of rock weathering, which ultimately affects the characteristics of the soil formed.

Here are some of the factors forming the soil that affect the formation process:

1. Climate

The climate is the main factor in forming soil, consisting of temperature and rainfall. High temperature fluctuations accelerate the weathering process, so that soil forms faster. Rainfall also plays a role in the process of soil laundering and erosion.

If rainfall is high, the land laundering process takes place quickly and results in a decline in soil pH, making it more acidic. Extreme climate with temperature and

Various rainfall can accelerate the process of ground formation by increasing the intensity of weathering.

2. Organism

The presence of organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms also affects soil formation. Organism plays a role in the organic and chemical weathering process. Organic weather occurs when living things, such as plant roots or animal activity, help destroy rocks.

On the other hand, chemical weathering involves chemical reactions such as solution of limestone rocks by water. Organisms also contribute to the formation of humus through decay of leaves and branches with the help of microorganisms. The type of vegetation in an area affects the nature of the soil formed. For example, forest vegetation forms forest soil that tends to be red, while grass vegetation produces black soil rich in organic materials.

The chemical element content of vegetation also affects soil composition. For example, teak trees contain chemical elements such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) which are higher than cypress plants. This can affect the fertility and chemical characteristics of the surrounding soil.

3. Main Materials

The parent material is the main source of soil formation, originating from rock that is weathered. The parent material can be in the form of volcanic rock, frozen rock, sediment rock, or metamorphic rock. The characteristics of the parent material determine the texture and composition of the soil.

For example, soil originating from a parent material rich in sand will have sandy texture. The parent material also affects soil color; the mother ingredient with low limestone content tends to produce red soil, while the mother ingredient with high acid levels produces gray soil.

4. Topography

Topography or relief of the soil surface of an area is also a significant soil forming factor. Areas with oblique topography tend to have thinner soil layers due to erosion. On the other hand, flat areas usually have thicker soil layers due to the accumulation of sediment.

In addition, areas with poor drainage or frequent water will tend to have more acidic soil, as inundated water blocks oxygen from entering and slows down the process of decomposition of organic matter.

5. Time

Time is a soil forming factor that affects soil depth and fertility. Over time, rock weathering will continue, turning rocks into soil with varying mineral content. The process of soil formation takes a very long time, even up to hundreds or thousands of years.

Land formed from the fast weathering process usually still contains high amounts of minerals, while soil formed from longer weathering tends to have fewer mineral content.

Talking about land, it would be nice for you to also know how the General Causes of Land Land Land Land Land, which you can use as a reference.

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