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Examine the factors that influence soil characteristics. - Leaving Cert Geography - Question 16 - 2006
Question 16
Examine the factors that influence soil characteristics.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Examine the factors that influence soil characteristics. - Leaving Cert Geography - Question 16 - 2006
Step 1
Identify the factors that influence soil characteristics
Answer
The primary factors that influence soil characteristics include:
- Climate: This affects soil moisture and temperature, which in turn influence soil formation and nutrient availability.
- Parent Material: The type of rock or sediment from which the soil forms significantly impacts its chemical and physical properties.
- Topography: The landscape position affects drainage, erosion, and sediment deposition, all of which shape soil characteristics.
Step 2
Examine the relationships between identified factors and soil characteristics
Answer
The characteristics of soil are largely influenced by the aforementioned factors:
- Climate influences the rate of weathering of parent materials, organic matter decomposition, and soil moisture storage, which affects soil fertility.
- Parent Material contributes minerals and nutrients that determine soil mineralogy and potential agricultural productivity.
- Topography can lead to variations in microclimates, which directly affect vegetation cover and organic matter inputs to the soil.