SOIL SCIENCE — Terminology of soil formation In physical geography and pedology, the long-term process by which soils originate, evolve, and develop horizons from parent material is called:

Introduction / Context:
Soils form through a suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes acting over time on parent material under the influence of climate, organisms, topography, and time. The umbrella term for the entire formation and development pathway is crucial vocabulary in geography and environmental science.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the overarching name of the soil development process.
• Other listed terms refer to specific sub-processes within soil profiles.
• No calculations are required; this is a terminology recognition item.

Concept / Approach:
Pedogenesis (from 'pedo' = soil and 'genesis' = origin) covers the complete evolution of soil from raw parent material to a mature profile with distinct horizons (O, A, E, B, C). It integrates weathering, organic matter inputs, translocation of materials, and horizonation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the comprehensive term for soil formation → pedogenesis.Differentiate from process-specific terms like leaching, eluviation, and illuviation.Confirm that pedogenesis encompasses all profile-forming mechanisms.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard pedology texts define pedogenesis as the combined effect of additions, losses, transformations, and translocations that produce diagnostic horizons.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Leaching — removal of soluble constituents; only one aspect.Illuviation — accumulation (deposit) of materials in a subsurface horizon.Eluviation — removal (export) of materials from an upper horizon.Lateritization — a climatic weathering pathway yielding laterites, not the general term.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing horizon-scale transfers (eluviation/illuviation) with the full, multi-factor origin of a soil system.

Final Answer:
pedogenesis