Previous Year Question

Edaphic is a term used for environmental factors associated with Soil. In Ecology, Edaphic Factors are factors that influence organisms, particularly plant growth and distribution, through the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. These include Soil Texture, Soil Structure, Soil Moisture, Soil pH, mineral nutrients, and Organic Matter.

The Physical Properties of Soil influence root development, Water Holding Capacity, and Soil Aeration. Sandy Soil generally allows rapid water drainage, whereas Clayey Soil has greater water-holding capacity. Soil pH affects the availability of nutrients. For example, in highly acidic or alkaline soils, the availability of certain essential nutrients may decrease, limiting plant growth.

Soil Formation is a long-term natural process involving the Weathering of Parent Rock, decomposition of organic matter, and other environmental processes. Soil scientist Hans Jenny identified five major soil-forming factors in 1941—Parent Material, Climate, Organisms, Relief, and Time. Interactions among these factors produce different soil types with varying fertility and ecological characteristics.

Among the other options, Climatic Factors refer to climate-related conditions such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, sunlight, and wind. Biotic Factors concern living components and their interactions, including plants, animals, microorganisms, competition, and predation. Topography describes the physical characteristics of terrain, including Altitude, Slope, and Aspect. All these environmental factors influence one another, but Edaphic is the specific ecological term associated with soil characteristics.