may be defined as the availability of plant nutrients in a soil to the plant growing on it.

Soil fertility is defined as the capacity of a soil to supply the essential plant nutrients in adequate amounts and in proper proportions for plant growth. It measures how well a soil can provide the mineral elements that plants need to develop, produce, and reproduce.

Soil water loss refers to the movement of water out of the soil through evaporation, transpiration, or drainage, and it does not describe nutrient availability. Soil colloids are very fine clay and humus particles that carry electrical charges and help retain nutrients, but the term itself does not mean nutrient availability. "Soil planktons" and "soil miscarrier" are not standard terms in soil science.

Soil fertility depends on factors such as the parent rock material, organic matter content, soil pH, the activity of soil organisms, and how the soil is managed. A fertile soil contains sufficient quantities of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (iron, zinc, manganese, among others) in forms that plant roots can absorb.