Which area of study focuses on the chemical processes that affect nutrients in the soil?

Soil Chemistry is the area of study that specifically focuses on the chemical processes occurring within the soil and how these processes affect the availability and behavior of nutrients. This includes understanding how different chemical compounds and elements interact with one another in the soil environment, affecting both the nutrient content and soil fertility. Through soil chemistry, one learns about pH levels, cation exchange capacity, soil organic matter, and how these factors influence nutrient availability to plants.

While soil biology studies the organisms within the soil and their interactions, and soil physics examines the physical properties and behavior of soil (such as texture, structure, and water movement), soil chemistry is distinctly concerned with the chemistry of soil substances. Soil ecology encompasses the relationships among organisms and their environment, but it does not focus specifically on the chemical interactions that govern nutrient dynamics in the soil. Thus, those other fields, while related, do not concentrate directly on the chemical processes affecting nutrient availability as soil chemistry does.