Insoil

Insoil is a term used to describe processes, properties, and interventions that occur within the soil profile. It is used in soil science, environmental engineering, and agronomy to distinguish phenomena in the soil from those on or above the surface.

The concept emphasizes the soil matrix as a continuum of solid, liquid, and gas phases and the interfaces among them. Insoil encompasses physical aspects such as porosity, water movement, temperature gradients, and root penetration; chemical aspects including nutrient availability, pH, redox conditions, and contaminant sorption; and biological aspects such as microbial activity, nutrient cycling, and plant–microbe interactions.

Methods and applications include in-soil sensing with probes for moisture, temperature, electrical conductivity, and chemical parameters; in-soil remediation strategies like injection of amendments, bioremediation, and phytoremediation; and agricultural practices that modify soil conditions beneath the surface, such as subsurface irrigation, controlled drainage, or soil aeration.

Insoil research faces challenges related to soil heterogeneity and spatial variability, disturbances during probe installation, and the need for careful calibration and interpretation of data with models of transport and reactions. Ethical and environmental considerations include avoiding contamination and preserving soil structure.

See also: soils, soil physics, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, precision agriculture, rhizosphere.