GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -Climate: This is probably the most important factor that can shape the formation of soils. Two important climatic components, temperature and precipitation are key. They determine how quickly weathering will be, and what kind of organic materials may be available on and inside of the soils.

Detailed explanation-2: -Scientists attribute soil formation to the following factors: Parent material, climate, biota (organisms), topography and time. These factors interact to form more than 1, 108 different soil series in Minnesota.

Detailed explanation-3: -Rainfall is one of the most important climate factors in soil formation. Organisms: Plants root, animals burrow, and bacteria eat – these and other organisms speed up the breakdown of large soil particles into smaller ones.

Detailed explanation-4: -Nutrient availability is primarily determined by soil texture and pH. Soil texture is the amount of sand, silt, clay and organic matter in the soil. Soil pH is a measurement of the degree of soil acidity or alkalinity; this measurement has the greatest effect on nutrient availability in the soil.