| Home | Calendar | Course Outline | Announcements | Syllabus | Study Aids | Grades | Geog/Geol Dept | UWSP |

Global Soil Patterns

 

Content

1. What are the 12 major soil orders?
2. What are the characteristics of each soil order?
3. What type of climatic conditions are associated with each soil order?
4. What type of vegetation is associated with each soil order?
5. If a particular soil order is associated with a specific type of situation (unrelated to climate), what is that situation? For example, andisols are associated with volcanic regions.
6. Where do we find each of the soil orders? Focus on the big picture, not all the picky details. Focus on Africa, Europe and North America.
7. What is the pattern for soil orders in North America?

Study suggestions:

• Make a table that's organized by climate type. The first column should be the climate type. The second column should list something about the water budget associated with this climate type (e.g. chronic surpluses or dry winter). The third column should list the soil orders we can find associated with that climate. The fourth column should be some typical locations where we could find that climate and that soil order. The fifth column should list the vegetation we can find associated with that climate (wait to fill this in until we've discussed vegetation).
• Make a second table that's organized by soil order. The first column should be soil order. The second column should list the climates associated with that soil order. The third column should list the vegetation we typically find associated with that soil order.
• Make a list of the soil orders not associated with a specific climate type, vegetation type or geographic location and list the specific situations or conditions under which these soil orders form.
• Get a blank outline map of North America, Africa, and Europe. Map the climates of these areas. On a second map, map the soil patterns. Look for consistencies between these two maps.