Humic substances are natural derivatives of organic materials found in soils and, more importantly (for aquarium hobbyists), in many forested streams and rivers.
They are collectively comprised of humic and fulvic acids, which are the product of the natural decomposition of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and lignins of plant and/or animal origin. A characteristic of humic substances is their deep brown color, which is responsible for the color of soil.
Soluble humic substances increase the bioavailability of multivalent cations (many of which are important nutrients for plants) to plants considerably by forming temporary bonds with these ions and making their uptake by plants more direct; this increases the effectiveness that water care products containing these ions will have in planted aquaria.