Soil Parent Material and Landscape Development

This website illustrates processes of soil parent material and landscape development. Video footage was obtained in the Rocky Mountains and southern interior of British Columbia, Canada to enable students to visualize similar processes that occurred in the past. The website also allows for an exploration of impacts of climate change on glacier retreats.

Click on the icons on the map below to explore.

Colluvial Environment Organic Environment Lacustrine Environment Marine Environment Alluvial Environment Eolian Environment Glacial Environment

This multimedia website has been developed for postsecondary students enrolled in natural sciences courses that incorporate soil formation and classification. The specific learning objectives are to allow students to (1) identify various types of soil parent material, (2) describe soil parent materials and associated landforms, and (3) develop an understanding of the effects of parent material on soil properties.

This project has been developed through a collaboration of members of the Virtual Soil Science Consortium. Funding for this project was provided by the BCcampus Online Development Fund.

In 2012, the project team received the CNIE Award of Merit in the Graphic Design category by the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE).