The parent rock is that which determines the mineral matrix of the soil.
A solid stone of great hardness is called a rock . Geology defines rocks as cohesive solids that are formed by one or more minerals. The notion of mother , on the other hand, refers to a female who gave birth or the origin of something.
The idea of bedrock refers to the rock that defines the mineral matrix of a soil . In other words, bedrock is the type of rock on which the soil is supported. Through erosion and a weathering process, the bedrock allows the development of the inorganic sector of the land in question.
It is important to highlight that layers of other rocks, fragments of materials, earth , vegetation, etc. accumulate on this bedrock. The different layers are called horizons .
Bedrock characteristics
The bedrock is the horizon composed of rock material that has not undergone any significant physical or chemical change. According to the relationship that the bedrock maintains with the rest of the horizons, a distinction can be made between autochthonous soil and allochthonous soil .
Above the bedrock are the subsoil , the precipitate zone , the vertical wash zone , and the surface layer , in that order. This means that what we see of the soil, such as grass, branches or leaves, is the surface layer of the soil, the one that is furthest from the bedrock.
Various layers called horizons follow one another on the bedrock until reaching the surface.
Other information of interest
It is important to determine, in addition to everything stated so far, another series of interesting data about this source rock:
-The science that is responsible for studying this and soils in general is called Soil Science. This, more precisely, we can determine that it is the branch of science that proceeds to analyze in depth what the composition and nature of the soil is in terms of the relationship it maintains both with the environment and with the existing plant species. The origin of this discipline is found in the 18th century.
-Fundamental factors of the soil such as fertility, morphology, physical properties, thickness or even physical-chemical properties will depend on the parent rock.
Types of bedrock
Among the types of parent rocks that may exist are marls and limestones .
Marls have the particularity of being sedimentary and are the result of the union between clay, which arises from the decomposition of feldspars of aluminum minerals, and limestone.
Limestone, on the other hand, and as its name indicates, has the main hallmark of being composed especially of calcium carbonate. Likewise, we must not overlook that they have their origin in what are warm seas that have very little depth.
However, granite, slate, arkose, rañas, quartzite can also be mother rocks.
Mother rock, finally, is also the name given to the rock where the oil was formed, which then passes into a reservoir rock .