ABSTRACT
Climate and weather are often confused, but they are different in terms of their time perspective. Weather focuses on atmospheric conditions over a day or a few days and is based on immediate observations. Climate and its elements—temperature and precipitation—in turn have a major effect on two other components of the physical setting: soils and vegetation. Soils are perhaps the most complex but least appreciated aspect of the physical setting. South Carolina has soils representing 5 of the 10 soil classification orders—Ultisols, Alfisols, Entisols, Inceptisols, and Spodosols—although the state is covered primarily by Ultisols, or what formerly were called the red-yellow Podzols. Only within the last few decades have soils received proper attention after more than a century and a half of poor management and exploitative land use. Sandhills soils generally are low in plant nutrients and organic material because the soil texture allows rapid leaching.
