Human Impacts on Soils

Abstract

Pedogenesis (soil formation) generally results from weathering and horizonation processes. Weathering includes processes that change the physical and chemical characteristics of soil particles, aggregates and artifacts. Horizonation results from additions, losses, translocations, and transformations of solid and chemical soil constituents. Both weathering and horizonation are affected by the five soil forming factors: climate, landscape position, organisms, parent material and time.