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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Soil pH matters because nutrients can be held or released by soil particles depending on soil pH. You can test and amend your soil so your garden has maximum potential, just like farmers do. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-y3

Soil pH influences whether nutrients are available to plants. Shown here are nutrient availabilities in mineral and organic soils influenced by soil pH. Adapted from Munroe (2018) by Lewis Fausak and licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Soil is a dynamic material, influencing life in #soil and being influenced by living things as well. This new #GroundedInSoils blog explains some of the processes happening under your feet! Shown: #mycorrhizal fungi in flax root. wp.me/pclOv9-yy

microscopic view of a flax root showing cell walls, line-like hyphae, and dark-stained spots called arbuscules

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Research showed that using willow chips as a #soil amendment for potato crops can enhance soil organic matter and help prevent #nitrogen leaching from fields. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-eD

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Soils are now recognized as the most biodiverse habitat on Earth. Some biota in the soil can be seen, like ants and earthworms. Others can only be seen using a microscope. Learn more in this GroundedInSoils blog: wp.me/pclOv9-yb

An illustration of living things in soil. Along the top are headers, and in the columns are examples of large and small soil organisms. For example: Primary producers include plants and organic substrates. Herbivores and decomposers include root-feeding nematodes, mycorrhizal fungi, saprophytic fungi and bacteria. Microbial grazers include collembolans, mites, fungivorous and bacteriophagous nematodes and flagellates. Tertiary consumers include predacious and nematode-feeding mites, predaceous and omnivorous nematodes and amoeba.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Increasing the duration, number, and type of plant roots in soil through the presence of continuous living plants is an important ingredient for building healthier soil. Learn more here: wp.me/pclOv9-e0.

Chart showing various cropping strategies to increase living plant cover. The green and brown lines indicate soil coverage as opposed to bare soil. Each column shows if plants are living during a season (spring, summer, fall, winter). The strategies are: summer annual crops; winter annual crops; relay or intercropping; cover cropping with summer annual crops; and, perennial crops. © Athena Wu (conceptualized by Yvonne Lawley) is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Southwestern Quebec’s high #organic matter soils cover an area of 12,000 hectares or 4% of the southern territory. These organic #soils are of great importance for high-value crops, like leafy greens. Read more here: wp.me/pclOv9-dK.

Dark, loose soil, with romaine lettuce growing in rows.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

A multi-colored litmus test chart, with a piece of wet litmus paper above it. The litmus paper is slightly green, for a pH between 7-8, a fairly neutral pH

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

#Composts are partially decomposed organic #soil amendments. They add #carbon and other nutrients to the soil. They can also influence soil texture in a positive way. Learn more in this new #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-dz

An infographic showing the sources for compost: manure, bedding, feed wastes. In the middle is a pile of compost showing microorganisms inside, and arrows showing the flow of oxygen into the pile, and outflow of water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane. On the right is the contents of mature compost: decomposed organic matter, minerals and microorganisms. The benefits are reduced volume and weight and good water content.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Cohesion and adhesion are forces that help soil retain and release water. Read about how soil is important in the water cycle in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-xV

A diagram showing water molecules bonded to each other and clay particles in soil. Underneath are the words cohesion: the attraction of water molecules to each other and adhesion: the attraction of water molecules to a solid

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Land reclamation is a requirement of companies seeking to alter the landscape for natural resource operations and/or land use changes. This photo shows a restored mining operation. Learn more about soil reclamation in this #GroundedInSoils blog: wp.me/pclOv9-cP

An area of land that was reclaimed after mining. The land is now covered with grassy vegetation and some shrubs.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

Soil can capture & retain water for a substantial amount of time, depending on the type of soil particles present. By storing water, soil supports plant & soil microbe health and growth. Learn more about how soil holds water in this #GroundedInSoils blog: wp.me/pclOv9-xV

A hand wearing a yellow gardening glove on top of soil. Nearby is a packet of seeds.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Controlled traffic farming is an approach to address soil compaction. Controlled traffic farming limits where all field equipment is driven. This method reduces soil compaction and improves soil health. Read our #GroundedInSoils blog: wp.me/pclOv9-cn

Graphic of two farm fields. One has controlled traffic, with wheel marks in parallel lines. The other shows random traffic where lines vary.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

The goal of soil health management is to minimize threats to #soil health that result in soil degradation. This #GroundedInSoils blog covers reducing soil compaction - including using root vegetables! More: wp.me/pclOv9-cc

A diagram that compares soil that has a carrot growing in it, which loosens the soil in a process called biodrilling. Crops that follow biodrilling plants have better root growth.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Soil is a complex three-phase system, comprised of solids, liquids, and gases. This area of soil science study is called soil physics. Learn about this important area of study in this new #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-xc

Pie chart showing soil is a three-phase system; solid, liquid and gas. The proportion of each phase may vary, but ideally, it consists of 50% solid, 25% liquid, and 25% gas. © Asim Biswas, Univ. of Guelph is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license. ALT a pie chart showing the % phase of soil as outlined in the caption.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Learn about the soils of Ontario! The Wisconsinan #glaciation covered Ontario with ice thicknesses exceeding one kilometre. This glacial event deposited almost all the parent materials from which Ontario #soils have developed. #GroundedInSoils tells more: wp.me/pclOv9-c4

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Soils of Ontario

All of Ontario was once covered by the Laurentide Ice sheet of the Wisconsinan glaciation. The glacier had ice thicknesses exceeding one kilometre. This glacial event is responsible for the deposit…

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Keith Reid is a soil scientist working toward the sustainable management of soil resources. Learn about why he became a soil scientist and what he likes about soil in this new #GroundedInSoil blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-xL

Keith Reid giving a demonstration in a soil pit located in southern Ontario, discussing the impacts of the differences in properties in different soil horizons and the potential impacts on crop growth. Description: A man in a white hat and green shirt stands in a soil pit. He is holding some soil and speaking to an audience. A water bottle and tools are behind him.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

No single measurement quantifies #soil health. Soil scientists infer the health of a soil from a multitude of soil attributes, processes, and contexts. Tend to the soils with care to ensure that soils’ role in providing #ecosystem services will continue. wp.me/pclOv9-bT

Schematic path of identifying a soil threat, measuring various soil health indicators, and implementing the 6Cs of soil health management that restore soil health and simultaneously enhance various ecosystem services. Adapted from the Soil Health Institute by Laura Van Eerd. © Soil Health Institute is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

You may have heard that #soil can have salts in it. Does this mean table salt? Not really. There are many types of salts that build up in the soil – which can be a bad thing. Learn more about soil salinization in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-x5

White patches on top of reddish soil with dried grasses in the background

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Individuals can improve the organic matter of the soil in their own yard (or workplace!) by adapting the best practices of farmers. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wZ

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Though we typically refer to Alberta, Saskatchewan, & Manitoba as the Prairie Provinces, the true #prairies generally occupy only their southern portions. Shown: Chernozemic & Luvisolic great groups found in the Prairie Provinces. Read about their interesting #soils here: wp.me/pclOv9-bJ

Examples of major soils of the Chernozemic and Luvisolic great groups found in the Prairie Provinces. Soils of the Chernozemic order have organically enriched A horizons (Ah) overlying decalcified and slightly reddened Bm horizons. The upper C horizon has concentrated secondary calcium carbonate (Cca) overlying largely unaltered parent material (Ck) with lower calcium carbonate contents. The Dark Gray Chernozem is transitional to the Gray Luvisolic soils and has an A horizon with both organic accumulation and bleaching (Ahe horizon). The forested Gray Luvisols have a leaf litter layer (LFH) on top of the mineral soil horizons. The uppermost bleached Ae horizon overlies a B horizon with higher clay levels than the Ae (Bt horizon). © “Brown, Dark Brown, Dark Gray Chernozem: Saskatchewan Center of Soil Research; Black Chernozem: Roly St. Arnaud (Saskatchewan Center of Soil Research); Dark Gray Luvisol: Kent Watson (Saskatchewan Center of Soil Research)” is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Most soils are composed of inorganic mineral materials comprising the overwhelming bulk of a soil. Well-structured soils are composed of about 50% solids; most of the solids are mineral materials. Learn more about soil mineralogy in this #GroundedInSoils blog: wp.me/pclOv9-bA

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Minerals in the soil

Most soils are composed of inorganic mineral materials that comprise the overwhelming bulk of soil. Well-structured soils are composed of about 50% solids; most if the solid portion is mineral mate…

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

Scientists are working with farmers and others to find ways to increase the soil organic matter on their farms. Leaving plant litter, reducing tillage, and using cover crops are a few methods being used. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wZ

Snow-covered former corn field. The lower part of the stalks - stubble - about 8 inches tall, is in rows sticking up from the snow.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Soil organic matter is a complex mixture of plant, animal, or microbial-derived residues at various stages of decomposition. Plants and microbial communities are usually the biggest contributors to #soil organic matter. Learn more in this blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wQ

On the bottom edge of the photo, leaf litter on top of a compost pile. Mid-range, steam rising from the compost pile. Background, blurry trees

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

What is soil organic matter? #Soil organic matter consists of both living and non-living organisms and their components. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wQ

Major sources of inputs that form soil organic matter. The types and quantities of inputs vary with different ecosystems and land management practices. © Myrna Simpson. Figure created with BioRender (www.biorender.com). ALT infographic showing the major sources of soil organic matter: leaves, needles and wood; bacteria & fungi; arthropods & earthworms; roots (coarse and fine)

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Reposted by Canadian Society of Soil Science

The Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative @thegsbi.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

📢The Global Soil Biodiversity Conference 2026 abstract submission deadline is coming up quickly 🐛🐜🕷️🦠🪱 Abstracts are due July 15th 23:59 PDT ‼️ Submit an abstract 👇 globalsoilbiodiversity2026.org/abstract/ @gsb2026.bsky.social

globalsoilbiodiversity2026.org

Call for Abstracts - Global Soil Biodiversity Conference 2026

Abstract Submissions NOW OPEN The Program Committee is proud to announce that the submission of abstracts for the 4th Global Soil Biodiversity Conference (GSB2026) is now open! Submission deadline is ...

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Charitha Hansima studied the environmental fate of veterinary antibiotics for her Masters degree. This work led her to the soil science community, and she started to see “the environment” through the lens of soil. Learn more: wp.me/pclOv9-xo

Lab equipment set up for testing. Several water bottles, a stainless bowl with a tube dripping into it and a basin below to collect overflow.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

How have humans influenced #soil development? Activities like agriculture and logging disrupted the natural processes of soil development that were in place before the settlers arrived in Canada. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wI

A large hill with a gully - hole - in the middle of it, where soil has eroded. On each side is green grassy material

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

A research team at the Natural Resources CA, CAForest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB, recently published results of a study using native #wetland species to reclaim treated fluid fine tailings. Read more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-eQ

Image description: Graphic showing cylinders of soil with two types of tailings tested in a recent study. Each column shows: (1) the type of native plant community tested (woody fen or graminoid fen on right, graminoid fen on left), (2) the capping material (peat mineral mix or a mixture of peat mineral mix and till), and (3) depth used for the tailings tested in the study (ranging from 0cm to 85cm). Infographic by Fuse Consulting LTD.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

Early bird registration prices end this Saturday, May 31st! Make sure to register to get your discount! "Soils for our Future - A Gathering of Global to Local Perspectives" will be held in Winnipeg, Canada, from July 20-25, 2025. Sign up for amazing tours and workshops! soilsforourfuture.ca

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Soil surveys help understand the history and classification of soils in a specific area. #Soil scientists then create soil maps with this information to help in land use planning. Learn more in today’s blog: wp.me/pclOv9-aJ

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What are soil surveys?

Canada is endowed with vast amounts of agricultural land. Soil scientists determined this by doing soil surveys, starting in 1914. Today we know that worldwide, Canada has the third largest area of…

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Charitha Hansima is earning her PhD in soil science at the University of Manitoba. Her research is especially relevant for Prairie agroecosystems, where sustainable management of soils is key. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-xo

Person with shoulder length dark hair wearing a jacket, pants and boots, stands in a field. A blue sky is next to them.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

We're fans of #fungi! Mycorrhizal mycelial networks in #soils can be pervasive and connect roots from multiple plants. They can facilitate energy and nutrient flow between them. A soil internet of sorts! Read more: wp.me/pclOv9-a8

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Do fungi live in soil?

Fungi are an important part of the soil biome. They are an important part of the nutrient cycle and soil health. Some fungi are single-celled yeasts. Others form multicellular networks that can inc…

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

Transformations of mineral and organic materials within the soil are very important for both soil creation and for plant nutrition. This is an important step in soil health. Learn more about soil formation in this blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wdR

Large rock with thick moss growing on it

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Happy Earth Day! The 4R nutrient stewardship approach is a decision-making framework that guides farms in selecting the four ‘right’ actions related to fertilizer use. 4R optimizes nutrient acquisition by the crop. Read more: wp.me/pclOv9-9V

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Soil formation begins when exposed sediments or rocks are acted upon by various physical, chemical, and biological processes. They fall into 4 major groups: additions, losses, transfers, & transformations. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-wd

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What processes form soil?

4-minute reading time You might be surprised to learn that soil is a dynamic material. It’s constantly changing, though slowly and mostly unseen. An exception is the case of erosion. For example, w…

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Congratulations to Charitha Hansima, U of Manitoba, who earned the Steve Pawluk Scholarship Award! Charitha is a PhD candidate with Dr Inoka Amarakoon investigating soil-based carbon sequestration mechanisms in Canadian Prairie agroecosystems.

Photo of woman in lab coat sitting on a stool in front of a lab bench.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Only a few areas of Canada were not glaciated, and the soils of these unglaciated regions reflect soil formation over much longer time periods than most Canadian soils, which affected Canadian soil formation. Read more here: wp.me/pclOv9-w6

A soil pit showing different colors and layers of soil - Yukon paleosol. The lower glacial outwash deposits have a clay-rich, reddish soil horizon indicating a long period of soil formation and soil weathering. The upper wind-blown loess deposit is much younger and is less weathered. The sand wedge into the outwash deposit is evidence of a period of intensive frost action that affected the lower soil layer. Photo courtesy of Paul Sanborn. © Paul Sanborn, UNBC; licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Some plants can get #nitrogen from the air. Others rely on biological processes in the #soil to free up nitrogen from #organic matter and manure. In managed systems like farms, plants may need #fertilizer to meet their nitrogen needs. wp.me/pclOv9-9L

Simplified version of the soil nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is used by plants for many processes. Some plants can get their nitrogen from the air. Others rely on biological processes in the soil to free up nitrogen from organic matter and manure. In managed systems like farms, plants may need fertilizer to meet their nitrogen needs. © Joann Whalen, licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Plants acquire most of their essential nutrients ions from the soil pore water, a dynamic environment. In agriculture, much effort is made to understand the soil nutrient supply. Our #GroundedInSoil blog explains: wp.me/pclOv9-9n

soil showing a mass of plant roots. green shoots come out of the top

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

One thing you don’t see when looking at soil is all the energy exchanges happening in the #soil! This is called the “soil food web.” Shown: fungi that live in the soil. Read our #GroundedInSoils blog to learn more! bit.ly/3v644Us

Image description: graphic representation of the soil food web. Shown are primary producers: plants and organic substrates; herbivores and decomposers: root-feeding nematodes, fungi and bacteria; microbial grazers: collembolans, mites, nematodes, flagellates; tertiary consumers which are various types of nematodes)

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

What are Canadian soils’ glacial legacies? The great ice sheets are responsible for the majority of sediments that Canadian soils have formed in and for the shape of the land surface itself. Learn more in this #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-w6

Map of parent materials for Canadian soils. Created from the 1:1,000,000 Soil Landscapes of Canada. © Darrel Cerkowniak, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

A unique study involving commercial producer fields in the Brown Chernozemic Soil Zone of Saskatchewan, Canada provided further evidence that conservation agriculture practices can increase soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen. Learn more here: wp.me/pclOv9-vT

Location of the 20 commercial producer fields across the Brown Chernozem Soil Zone from the Prairie Soil Carbon Balance project with respect to the long-term agroecosystem experiment (0MC study) in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. The boundaries of the Saskatchewan map were extracted from the Canada_Provinical_boundaries_generalized polygon from the ArcGIS feature services online with ArcMap version 10.8.2. The coordinate system GCS_WGS_1984 was used for the geoprocessing of GPS soil sampling point-coordinates and the linear units was in meters. ArcMap version 10.8.2 was used to generate the map of the study area.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Most Canadian soils developed in a stable biome, for example, the Boreal forest or grassland biome. And soil properties reflect the distinctive set of soil processes associated with a particular biome. Learn more here: wp.me/pclOv9-vN

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Join us virtually on March 4, 5 and 6th 2025 for the Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2025 Virtual Conference umanitoba.ca/agricultural...

Graphic of grassland with words "Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2025 Virtual Conference March 4-6, 2025. Registration is free. Keynote: Michael H McCain

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

A recently published Canadian Journal of Soil Science paper compares the results of conservation ag on commercial production fields to long-term small-plot systems, giving more concrete information on best practices for farmers. Learn more in this new #GroundedInSoils blog post: wp.me/pclOv9-vT

A field of wheat after harvest showing stalks about 6" long left as "stubble" to protect from erosion. Dead plant litter lays on top of the soil

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Blake Weiseth's work is to evaluate different agricultural beneficial management practices for their ability to mitigate phosphorus losses in runoff water. Learn more here: wp.me/pclOv9-uc

Equipment to measure water quality sits in a ditch along an agricultural field. In the background are clouds with a rainbow.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

A recent study showed that #covercrops can improve the ability of the #soil to buffer against rapid #heat change. Read more here: wp.me/pclOv9-vC.

A soil sample is in a cup. A wire is inserted into the soil, attached to a KD2 Pro soil analyzer.

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Canadian Society of Soil Science @cssssoils.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Soil horizons differ from each other in colour, structure, texture, and many other properties. Studying the horizons in the #soil profile helps soil scientists create a picture of the #organic matter and minerals that make up soil in that location. wp.me/pclOv9-um

A measuring tape marked off in centimeters showing grass on top of a smooth face of a soil pit. Darker soil is at the top of the soil pit; the soil gets lighter the further down.

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