Whats the difference between a surficial geology map and a soils map?
A soils map shows the different kinds of soil formed near the land surface. This information is especially important for agricultural purposes. Many types of soil form by surface weathering of underlying sediments (parent material), though other factors such as slope and drainage also determine soil type. Maine soils usually extend no deeper than about 3 feet. A surficial geology map shows various types of glacial and postglacial sediments such as sand, gravel, and clay. These are the parent materials on which most Maine soils have developed, and in many cases they extend deeper than the zone of soil formation. The surficial sediments, in turn, overlie the solid bedrock that occurs everywhere beneath Maine.
