Final answer:
Parent materials like glacial deposits, river sands, and shoreline deposits are crucial to the soil's properties, influencing the Michigan sod industry through their impact on soil quality and turfgrass growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The parent material of soil is essential in determining its composition and quality for various uses, including agriculture and industry. In the context of the Michigan sod industry, parent materials of interest would likely include glacial deposits, river sands, and shoreline deposits. These materials provide the basis for the soil's physical and chemical properties, which in turn influence the quality of turfgrass grown in the region. Glacial deposits, for instance, offer a mix of materials from different origins, having been moved and deposited by the movement of glaciers. River sands might be associated with former stream channels, and shoreline deposits are typically found along ancient beaches and coasts, both contributing unique characteristics to the soil's physical structure and drainage capacity.