Humusreicher

Humusreicher is a German adjective meaning “rich in humus,” used to describe soils with a high content of humus and organic matter. In soil science and agronomy, a humusreicher Boden denotes soils with substantial humic material, typically resulting from long-term litter input, slow mineralization, and favorable soil structure. Such soils generally exhibit higher cation exchange capacity, nutrient retention, water-holding capacity, and microbial activity compared with humus-poorer soils. The term is commonly found in German-language soil surveys, agronomic texts, and environmental reports, and can be used attributively as “humusreicher Boden” or predicatively as “Der Boden ist humusreich.” The opposite term is humusarm or humusarme Böden.

Geographically, humusreicher soils are found in temperate forest zones with abundant litter, in some loess-derived soils, and in managed agricultural soils that receive regular organic amendments. Management practices that help maintain or increase humus levels include compost application, cover crops, reduced tillage, and the incorporation of organic residues.

Beyond its scientific usage, humusreicher may appear as a descriptive term in environmental and forestry contexts. It is not a proper noun tied to a specific place, person, or institution. The term is primarily used in German-language literature, with translations rendering it as “humus-rich” or “humus-containing” in non-German texts.