Soil Parent Material
- An array of different soil parent materials exists within Scotland, the direct result of different phases of glaciation.
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Soil parent materials fall into different groupings.
- Shattered rock or rock in situ
- Glacial drift (unsorted, weathered mineral material moved by ice), including colluvium and solifluction deposits.
- Lodgement till being ground up rock material characteristically unsorted, deposited by ice.
- Water-modified glacial till with the upper soil horizons of coarser texture than the underlying till.
- Fluvio-glacial meltwater deposits of sand and gravel and in highland areas, morainic deposits.
- Mountain-top detritus; frost shattered debris with common rock and scree.
- Recent deposits, including Aeolian sand, alluvium raised beach deposits, peat and saltings
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Balrownie Series, developed on Old Red Siltsone, with distinctive colour An association represents a grouping of soils developed on the same or similar parent material e.g. Countesswells Association includes glacial drift derived from granite or granitic rock. - There are 144 associations mapped within Scotland, the 15 most extensive are listed below. Click on an association to find out more.
The soil parent material has a major influence on the chemical properties and the texture of the soil and, to a lesser extent, on soil colour.