Skip to content | Skip to institutional links

Common menu bar links

Soil Landscape Illustrations of the Prairie Provinces

Soil Landscapes evident around us are the product of soil forming factors acting on surface geological deposits over time. Factors influencing soil formation (or soil development) include kind of parent material, topography (or surface form), climate, vegetation, time and of course the activities of man. The surficial deposit which comprises the parent material of soil is characterized by its physical and chemical properties such as soil texture (or mix of sand, silt, clay), reaction and salinity. This material is shaped by geomorphic processes operative during deposition to its present surface form. The resultant forms of these materials are further influenced by the prevailing climate and vegetation which it supports over time to develop soils which reflect the intensity and geographical distribution of the above factors.