Which one of the following is not a soil forming factor ?
Parent material
Topography
Climate
Human habitation
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2021
1. **Parent material (A):** The geological material from which soil is formed (rock, sediment).
2. **Climate (C):** Temperature and precipitation influence weathering rates, organic decomposition, and leaching.
3. **Topography (B) (or Relief):** Slope, aspect, and elevation affect drainage, erosion, and microclimate.
4. **Organisms:** Biota, including plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and *humans*, contribute organic matter, mix soil, and influence nutrient cycling.
5. **Time:** The duration over which soil formation processes occur.
While human activities related to habitation (agriculture, urbanization, waste disposal) significantly *impact* existing soils and can influence soil development over time (as part of the ‘Organisms’ factor), ‘human habitation’ itself is not typically listed as a fundamental, primary soil-forming factor alongside parent material, climate, topography, organisms, and time in standard pedology texts. It describes a state or land use rather than a fundamental process driver.