To what extent temperature and precipitation are the most important factors that determine soil properties?

Temperature and precipitation are important determinants of climate and weather. They also influence the process of pedogenesis (soil formation) and its properties like soil nutrients, pH, presence of elements like nitrogen, phosphorus etc.

Role of temperature:

Temperature influence the process of decomposition by microbes like bacteria. In extremely cold temperature, there is no microbial growth, hence there is little vegetation (e.g. tundra region).

Similarly, very high temperature too like in desert doesn't support human content in soil. (e.g. Alluvial soil)

Role of precipitation:

Rain water contributes to eluviation and transported of nutrients laterally. However excessive rainfall like in laterite soil leads to leaching of nutrients e.g: lack of nutrients in laterite soil.

Other factors:

These are other important factors as well such as parent rock, for e.g: black soil is due to parent rock black . Other factors are relief and physiography and time .

Thus, host of parameters influence soil properties. Today anthropogenic factors like artificial irrigation & fertilisers are major factors. Soil Health Card is a measure scheme to test these properties availability of soil nutrients.