ABSTRACT
Soils are derived from the rocks and minerals which make up the surface of Earth. The effects of climate and soil formation operate through precipitation and temperature. The glaciations of the Pleistocene era removed the old soils from much of Britain and other countries of mid to high latitudes and deposited thick drift in other regions. The process of leaching is caused by the continual washing of the soil with rainwater. Most soil classifications recognize different types of podzol, depending on local conditions. Descending soil water reaches less weathered iron-rich parent material below seasonally waterlogged upper horizons. Soils which are affected by temporary or permanent waterlogging have very distinct profiles. Tropical regions are well known for the speed and intensity of processes of weathering and soil formation. Soil classification and soil nomenclature are perhaps the most disputed and confused aspects of soil science.
