Pedogenic Heterogeneity
Definition
The variation in soil properties (colour, texture, mineralogy, chemistry) over short distances, arising from differences in parent rock, drainage, vegetation, land use, and time since formation. This heterogeneity is the forensic geologist's friend: it means that soil from different locations is often distinguishable.
Related terms
- Chain of Custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Control Sample
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- Cross-Section Sample
- A soil sample collected to preserve the depth stratification of the profile, with distinct layers kept separate. Comparison of a questioned sample's...
- Persistence
- The property that friction ridge configuration remains stable from birth through death and into decomposition, as long as the papillary dermis survives....
- Transfer Efficiency
- The proportion of soil available at a source location that actually moves onto the receiving surface during contact. Influenced by soil moisture,...
Explained in
- Soil and Sediment as Trace EvidenceThe variation in soil properties (colour, texture, mineralogy, chemistry) over short distances, arising from differences in parent rock, drainage, vegetation,...