bodemkan

Bodemkan is a Dutch neologism that has appeared in discussions within soil science, hydrogeology and environmental planning. The term does not have a single, universally accepted definition, and its precise meaning varies by discipline and author.

In hydrogeology and soil hydrology, bodemkan is used to describe a subsurface channel or conduit in the soil profile through which water, air, or solutes preferentially move. Natural examples include worm burrows, root channels, or layered sediment interfaces created by bioturbation. The concept is employed to explain rapid infiltration, drainage patterns, and the transport of pollutants or nutrients, as well as the connectivity between soil layers.

In a broader, metaphorical sense, some writers use bodemkan to denote the foundational capacity of a landscape to support ecosystems, agricultural productivity or climate resilience, emphasizing soil architecture as a governing factor rather than a simple bulk mass.

Etymology and usage: The term appears to combine bodem (soil) with kan, a form of kunnen or kanalen, but there is no established etymology. It is mainly used in contemporary, not historical, sources and remains informal in most contexts.

See also: soil structure, soil hydrology, preferential flow, soil porosity.