Soil building processes are complex and can influence the environment in many ways. They are influenced by climate, organic matter, and the time available to decompose it. Soil formation largely depends on the climate, vegetation, and parent material. The climatic conditions and slope of the surface of the earth also play a significant role in soil building processes. Agricultural practices and climate can alter soil composition and ultimately impact the environments of regions. Agricultural practices Since the Industrial Revolution, agricultural practices have intensified. During the "green revolution" of the mid-20th century, agricultural practices increased crop yields per unit area of arable land. Food production has risen to support a quadrupling of the world's population in a century. Despite this rise in production, the human population continues to grow and eat more food than the planet has available. Today, about 1.7 billion acres are devoted to staple cereal gr...