lithosequence

A lithosequence refers to adjacent soils that exhibit different characteristics due to variations in their parent materials. These parent materials are the initial solid matter from which soils form and can include rocks or unconsolidated deposits like alluvium, glacial tills, or loess.1

There are two main types of lithosequences:
* Continuous lithosequences: Parent materials vary gradually along a transect, leading to systematic changes in soil properties such as particle size and clay content.1
* Discontinuous lithosequences: Characterized by abrupt changes in parent material, resulting in distinct soil differences over short distances.1

Pedology, the study of soils, identifies five key factors influencing soil formation: parent material, topography, climate, organisms, and time. Climate, for instance, impacts soil formation through precipitation and solar energy, affecting chemical reactions, organism life cycles, and particle transport.12