Soil-water dynamics:

Processes which alter soil structure

1. Leaching- is the removal of dissolved materials by water percolating down. What moves down is often a function of the pH of the water itself...see otes on cation-exchange..

2. Illuviation- the deposit of leached materials in lower layers- especially Fe, Al, clay, humus in middle layers; other nutrients settle even further down.

3. Runoff & erosion can completely erode off the Organic & A layers- due to topography & agricultural practices. In the SE, most of the O/A layer is long gone, with exposure of the B layer - as typified by the red (Fe) layers you see all over the landscape ( as a result of illuviation)

4. Capillarity & evaporation can actually cause nutrients to rise-with a drought, or on hillsides, water and what is dissolved in it can flow up (hill) ! ....

  Water dynamics ...........Soil life..................Profile of the soil............Soil particle size & effects...............soil pH.....ecosystesm soils........introduction