Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The lateral or downward movement of dissolved or suspended material within soil when rainfall exceeds evaporation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun soil science, countable The sideways or downward movement of dissolved or suspended material within soil caused by rainfall
  • noun geology, uncountable Creation of geological deposits (eluvial deposits) by in situ weathering or weathering plus gravitational movement or accumulation.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[eluvi(um) + –ation.]

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Examples

  • This acidic soil solution enhances the processes of eluviation and leaching causing the removal of soluble base cations and aluminum and iron compounds from the A horizon.

    Soil 2008

  • This layer is composed primarily of mineral particles and has two characteristics: it is the layer in which humus and other organic materials are mixed with mineral particles, and it is a zone of translocation from which eluviation has removed finer particles and soluble substances, both of which may be deposited at a lower layer.

    Soil 2008

  • Movements of large amounts of water through the soil cause eluviation and leaching to occur.

    Soil 2008

  • Common characteristics of recognition include immature development of eluviation in the A horizon and illuviation in the B horizon, and evidence of the beginning of weathering processes on parent material sediments.

    Soil 2008

  • The A horizon is commonly differentiated into a darker upper horizon or organic accumulation, and a lower horizon showing loss of material by eluviation.

    Soil 2008

  • Good drainage enhances an number of pedogenic processes of illuviation and eluviation that are responsible for the development of soil horizons.

    Soil 2008

  • Generally, these horizons result from the processes of chemical weathering, eluviation, illuviation, and organic decomposition.

    Soil 2008

  • It reduces the eluviation of soluble nutrients from the soil profile.

    Soil 2008

  • This soil, however, has a calcareous parent material which results in a high pH and strong eluviation of clay from the A horizon.

    Soil 2008

Comments

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  • Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

    Pronunciation: \(ˌ)ē-ˌlü-vē-ˈ�?-shən\

    Function: noun

    Etymology: eluvial of eluviation (from e- + -luvial—as in alluvial) + -ation

    Date: 1899

    : the transportation of dissolved or suspended material within the soil by the movement of water when rainfall exceeds evaporation

    — elu·vi·al \ē-ˈlü-vē-əl\ adjective

    — elu·vi·at·ed \-ˈlü-vē-�?-təd\ adjective

    February 6, 2008