Lesson 7.03 Soils Around the World

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

If you take a soil sample from northern Alabama and your friend takes a soil sample from southern Alabama, the samples would be very different. The type and characteristics of soil differ from area to area because of factors, such as climate, parent material, and native plant life.

In Lesson 7.02, you learned about five factors involved in soil formation: climate, parent material, living organisms present, topography, and time. You also learned that climate is a major determining factor in soil formation and can influence the type of soil and the time it takes for soil formation to occur. This is why you have different soils in different areas. Think back to Unit 1 when you studied terrestrial biomes and the major factor - climate - that determines the type of biome. Soil type mirrors the different biomes and is influenced by climate in much the same way. In this lesson, you will learn some of the characteristics of the soil in different areas of the state, country, and world and why soils differ from region to region.