Unit+2-+Soils

//Adapted from Goudie//
 * =**Factors Forming Soils**= || =**Type of Effect**= || =**Nature of Effect**= ||
 * **Climate** || Beneficial || Adding water by irrigation, rainmaking by cloud seeding, removing excess water by drainage, diverting winds etc ||
 * || Detrimental || Subjecting soil to excessive insolation, to extended frost actiion, wind action etc. ||
 * **Biota** || Beneficial || Introducing and controlling populations of plants and animals; adding organic matter including nightsoil; loosening soil by ploughing to admit more oxygen; fallowing; removing pathogenic organisms as controlled by burning ||
 * || Detrimental || Removing plants and animals ( affecting the nutrient cycle &climax community); reducing organic matter content of soil through ploughing, burning, over grazing, harvesting etc. adding or fostering pathogenic organism ( or introducing invading species); adding radioactive substances. ||
 * **Topography** || Beneficial || Checking erosion through roughening, land forming and structure building; raising land levels by accumulation, terracing, and land leveling. ||
 * || Detrimental || Causing subsidence by drainage of wetlands, and by mining; accelerated erosion, excavating ||
 * **Parent Material** || Beneficial || Adding material fertilisers, acumulating shells and bones, accumulating ash locally ( increases potash and fertility in soils); removing excess amounts of substances such as salts ( which reduces the weathering effect) ||
 * || Detrimental || Removing through harvest, more plant and animal nutrrients than is replaced ( affecting biotic weathering); Adding material in amounts that is toxic to plants and animals; altering soil constituents in a way to alter/ depress plant growth ||
 * **Time** || Beneficial || Rejuvenating the soil through adding of fresh plant material or through exposure of local parent material by soil erosion; reclaiming land from under water. ||
 * || Detrimental || Degrading soil by accelerated removal of nutrients from soil and vegetation cover, burying the soil under soild fill or water ||