Soil is a thin layer on the surface of the earth and is composed of various elements. The part of the surface of the earth where the vegetation grows is known as ‘soil’. In other words, the soil is a natural mixture of minerals and biotic elements which have the capacity to grow and develop vegetation.
Soil formation takes place on the parental material also called parental rocks. Natural factors like temperature, climate, vegetation, topography, time, etc., results into denudation of the flat top portion of rocks. This process results in the formation of thin layer of small rocks, clay and dust. The humus formed due to the disintegration or decay of vegetation or insects is added to this thin layer. These biotic elements play an important role in the development of vegetation. Together all these form a crust of land or say soil. Soils are classified on the basis of their colour, climate, parental rocks, structure, humus, etc.
