Ions are atoms, or a group of atoms, that have an electrical charge (positive or negative). This electrical charge is caused by the loss or gain of one or more electrons.
Labile carbon is the biologically available carbon that results from the addition of fresh residues, including plant roots and living organisms, or from plant roots as exudates and is the major food source for soil microorganisms.
Drainage of liquid, especially rainwater and materials in solution through a porous substrate (soil).
Refers to microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and fungi.
The mass of microorganisms in soil—primarily bacteria, archaea and fungi, normally measured through the extraction of their carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus content.
Mineralisation is the release of inorganic chemical compounds (nutrients) into the soil as a result of the decomposition of soil organic matter by microorganisms. Mineralised nutrients are more readily taken up by plants than nutrients that are part of organic compounds comprising soil organic matter.
Mineralogy refers to the study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralised particles (e.g. sand, silt, clay).
Refers to the patchy distribution of different colours (red, yellow, brown, grey, purple), textures (sandy, clayey, loamy), and structures within a soil profile. Colour mottling is particularly evident in soils that are prone to waterlogging or have poor drainage.
The net negative charge rates dispersion based on exchangeable cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+) and their relative dispersive and flocculating effects on clays.
Nitrification involves the biological oxidation of ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+) to nitrite (NO2–), and then from nitrite (NO2–) to nitrate (NO3–). Each step is catalysed by microbes known as nitrifiers.