A type of soil that forms in waterlogged conditions, characterized by a gray or blue-gray color due to lack of oxygen.
From Russian 'glei' (gluey mud), borrowed into English soil science terminology in the early 20th century. The Russian word describes the sticky, wet conditions of these soils.
Gley soil looks dead and gray because it basically IS dead—without oxygen, bacteria can't decompose organic matter, so it just sits there like a biological traffic jam!
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