Soil formation, elementary soil-forming processes, solid-phase products of the functioning the elementary soil-forming processes

The triad of soil formation is considered: "factors of soil formation - elementary processes of soil formation - solid-phase products of functioning of elementary soil-forming processes", reflecting the stages of development of a single soil-forming process. The Dokuchaev formula is analyzed in which the factor theory of soil formation has been developed for the first time; the definition of soil is given, the soil is separated into an independent body of nature. The theory of elementary soil-forming processes was analyzed. Each zonal soil formed in conditions of a certain combination of elementary soil-forming processes. Separation of the soil-forming process into separate micro and macro processes makes it possible to identify certain genetic features of soil formation within the zonal type of soils. The quality of solid-phase products of the functioning of elementary soil-forming processes is a criterion for assessing the evolution of soils, related to the life cycle of biopedocenosis. Based on the quality of solid-phase products of elementary soil-forming processes, it is concluded that the zonal soil is polygenetic.