Sand country ecology: The soils of the Manawatu sand country

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Soils from wind-blown sand cover an area of over 200,000 acres in the Manawatu, Horowhenua, and Rangitikei counties, and so form an important agricultural unit in the Manawatu district.
Of the five soil-forming factors; parent material, climate, vegetation, relief and time; parent material and climate are relatively constant in this district, vegetation is largely dependent on the other factors, while relief and time vary and it is the variation in these two factors that causes the major differences between the soils.