Soil and Geology
Most of the soils in the national park are volcanic, derived from weathered basalt, volcanic ash, and intermediary volcanic rock. These soils are rich in minerals but poor in organic material, and have high chemical but low physical fertility. Most of these soils are very porous and do not retain water well. Black soils, on which most of the savannas are found, are highly erodible and very muddy in wet seasons, but form deep cracks (a few centimetres wide and sometimes more than 80 cm deep) in dry seasons. Many stream beds only contain water in the wet season, because much water seeps through the very porous volcanic soils until it reaches the hardened underground lava streams.
Marine soils are limited to some areas near the coast on the salt flats and in the mangrove swamps.
Read more about this topic: Baluran National Park
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