Which soil order typically represents newly formed soils?

✅Explanation:
Entisols are typically newly formed soils or soils with little to no horizon development. These soils are often found in areas with recent deposits, such as floodplains, riverbeds, and areas with active erosion or deposition. They have not undergone significant weathering, leaching, or horizon development, making them relatively young compared to other soil orders.

📌Other Options Explanations:
-(a) Inceptisol: These are soils with some horizon development, typically representing soils that are slightly older than Entisols.
-(c) Alfisol: Alfisols are mature soils typically found in temperate climates. They have well-developed horizons.
-(d) Gelisol: Gelisols are soils found in cold regions with permafrost; they are typically associated with frozen landscapes.

🔑Key Points:

• USDA Soil Classification System:
-The classification of soils aims at the broadest taxonomic level (USDA system) and to identify dominant environmental factors that contribute to soil formation at this level on a regional basis.
-The most general level of classification in the USDA system of Soil Taxonomy is the Soil Order.
-All of the soils in the world can be assigned to one of just 12 orders, Entisols, Inceptisols, Andisols, Mollisols, Alfisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, Oxisols, Gelisols, Histosols, Aridisols, and Vertisols. Hence, Option 2 is correct.
-Soil orders are frequently defined by a single dominant characteristic affecting soils in that location, e.g., the prevalent vegetation (Alfisols, Mollisols), the type of parent material (Andisols, Vertisols), or the climate variables such as lack of precipitation (Aridisols) or the presence of permafrost (Gelisols).
-Also significant in several soil orders is the amount of physical and chemical weathering present (Oxisols, Ultisols), and/or the relative amount of Soil Profile Development that has taken place (Entisols).

• The soil categories as per the US Department of Agriculture:
-Entisols
-Little, if any horizon development
-Inceptisols
-Beginning of horizon development
-Mollisols
-Soft, grassland soils
-Oxisols
-Extremely weathered, tropical soils