What is a weathering mantle?

Although a weathering mantle will typically be capped by a soil, the soil is only a small part of the weathering mantle. The type and thickness of weathering mantle which forms is a function of weathering regime, type of parent rock, topography, and time. read more

If you notice in the above image, the weathering mantle is getting deeper as the community in the region develops. This essentially means that forests do not depend on the weathering mantle, but the relationship is more or less symbiotic. read more

Although it is significant in some cases, mechanical transportation of powder-like products of the weathering mantle by water causes little change in the total chemical composition of the mantle. Colloidal and true solutions have a much more significant effect. read more