ELUVIATION Meaning and
Definition
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Eluviation is a geological process that refers to the removal or leaching of materials from the upper layers of soil or rock, usually by the action of water. It is often associated with erosional processes and can result in the transportation and deposition of these materials into lower layers or other areas.
This process typically occurs in areas with ample rainfall and pronounced weathering. As precipitation infiltrates the ground, it carries dissolved substances, fine particles, and ions derived from the weathering of rocks and minerals. These materials are then transported downward through the soil profile, leaving behind less soluble and coarser particles in the upper layers, while finer particles and dissolved substances continue to move downward.
Eluviation can lead to the formation of distinct soil horizons or layers, where different materials accumulate. This process plays a significant role in soil development and contributes to the differentiation of soil properties, such as nutrient content and texture, across various landscapes.
Eluviation is closely related to another geological process called illuviation, where materials leached from upper layers are deposited or accumulated in lower layers. Both eluviation and illuviation processes are essential in the formation and transformation of soils, influencing their fertility, structure, and overall composition.
Furthermore, eluviation can have environmental implications, as it can affect the movement of pollutants and nutrients through the soil profile, impacting water quality in nearby water bodies. It also plays a role in landscape evolution and the creation of distinctive landforms shaped by erosion and deposition processes.
Common Misspellings for ELUVIATION
- wluviation
- sluviation
- dluviation
- rluviation
- 4luviation
- 3luviation
- ekuviation
- epuviation
- eouviation
- elyviation
- elhviation
- eljviation
- eliviation
- el8viation
- el7viation
- eluciation
- elubiation
- elugiation
- elufiation
- eluvuation
Etymology of ELUVIATION
The word "eluviation" is derived from the Latin term "eluvies", which means "washings" or "the action of washing away". This Latin term is derived from the verb "eluere", meaning "to wash out" or "to drain off". In the context of soil science, "eluviation" refers to the process by which minerals, organic matter, or other dissolved or suspended substances are washed out or leached from a specific soil horizon or layer.
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