Elaine Ruth Ingham, groundbreaking microbiologist and a leader in the regenerative agriculture movement, died on Monday in Fort Mill, South Carolina, with her husband by her side. She was 73 years old.

Ingham was known for her soil science research that developed the concept of the soil food web. She championed the critical role of microorganisms in building healthy, sustainable ecosystems. As a researcher, educator, and mentor, her pioneering studies and advocacy empowered farmers, scientists, and environmentalists worldwide to restore and sustain soil health.

Ingham’s work, including dozens of research papers published in scientific journals in the 1980s and 1990s, brought her to an early understanding of the importance of soil microbiology for plant health. Her influential popular publications include the Soil Biology Primer, published by the Natural Resources Conservation Services Soil Quality Institute, with the well-known image of the soil food web used by educators around the world to discuss the role of microorganisms in soil.