The delineation of natural areas in New Zealand: The delineation of natural areas—soils

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Natural areas may be recognised by the living things within them. These living things acquire features which are related to environmental factors characteristic of the natural area. In this way, natural areas express themselves in living things, and living things show at what points variations in environmental factors are significant.
Soils, because of their ability to change with their environment, are considered as living things, and the distribution pattern of certain of their characteristics delineates natural areas. This concept of the relationship of soils to their environment is the basis of Taylor's genetic classification of N.Z. soils.