> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/introduction-1/basin-1/parameters.bsn/p_soil.md).

# p\_soil

The phosphorus soil partitioning coefficient *p\_soil* is the ratio of the soluble phosphorus concentration in the top 10 mm of soil to the concentration of soluble phosphorus in surface runoff.

The primary mechanism of phosphorus movement in the soil is by diffusion. Diffusion is the migration of ions over small distances (1-2 mm) in the soil solution in response to a concentration gradient. Due to the low mobility of solution phosphorus, surface runoff will only partially interact with the solution P stored in the top 10 mm of soil.