Associations of dominant parent material in Europe 1:15,000,000

For the legend-building of the soil regions map (EUSR5000), areas with similar climate (EUCA15000) are further subdivided into areas with similar parent material, thus with a similar geologic paleogeographic development. Because the geological conditions (nature of parent material) are key factors for soil formation, it must be characterized at the level of the soil regions as well. In order to represent parent material at the Europe-wide continental level, data from small-scale geological maps were re-interpreted and aggregated to parent material associations 1:15 Mio. The different rocks are summarized by geological formation, at the same time following the main class- or group-level from the List of Parent Material according to Finke et al.(2001). As a result, 18 rock complexes were received and evaluated in respect of their effect on soil formation. Here it must be pointed out that soils are not formed on the rock itself but on weathering products mostly consisting of several layers and with numerous external components incorporated by redeposition.