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pedogenese

Pedogenese, also known as pedogenesis, refers to the processes by which soil forms from parental material through the interaction of physical, chemical, and biological factors. It covers weathering of rocks, chemical alteration of minerals, organic matter formation and decomposition, and the movement of materials within the soil profile. The outcome is the development of soil horizons and properties that record past and present environmental conditions.

Pedogenesis is governed by the five soil-forming factors described in the CLORPT framework: climate, organisms (plants,

Key processes include physical disintegration of rocks, chemical weathering such as hydrolysis and oxidation, formation of

Examples of pedogenic pathways include podzolization in cool, moist climates; calcification in arid-to-semiarid regions; and laterization

Understanding pedogenese aids in soil classification, land management, agriculture, and ecosystem studies by linking soil properties

animals,
microbes),
relief
(topography),
parent
material,
and
time.
The
combination
and
intensity
of
these
factors
determine
the
rate
of
weathering,
humus
formation,
mineral
dissolution,
and
horizon
differentiation,
shaping
soil
texture,
structure,
chemistry,
and
color.
secondary
minerals
like
clays,
and
the
translocation
or
accumulation
of
materials
within
the
profile.
Biological
activity—root
growth,
soil
fauna,
and
microbial
action—accelerates
pedogenesis
and
influences
soil
structure
and
chemistry.
Typical
soil
horizons
observed
in
mature
profiles
include
the
organic
O
horizon,
the
mineral
A
horizon,
the
eluviated
E
horizon,
the
illuviated
B
horizon,
and
the
less-weathered
C
horizon,
with
each
reflecting
a
stage
of
development.
in
highly
weathered
tropical
environments.
Rates
of
pedogenesis
vary
widely
and
may
span
centuries
to
millennia,
depending
on
conditions
and
substrate.
to
their
formation
history
and
environmental
context.