Aggregation

Process whereby primary soil particles (sand, silt, clay) are bound together, usually by natural forces and substances derived from root exudates and microbial activity. Soil aggregates are arranged to form soil peds, units of soil structure, classified by size, shape (platy, prismatic, columnar, angular, subangular, blocky, granular…) and grade (single-grain, massive, weak, moderate, strong). From an agronomical point of view, the most important soil aggregates are in range 3 - 1 mm.