What Causes Soil Salinization? Soil salinization occurs
when soluble salts are retained in the earth
. It happens either naturally or because of improper anthropogenic activities, particularly farming practices. Besides, some earths are initially saline due to low salt dissolution and removal.
How saline soil is formed?
In arid areas, saline soils are formed due to
evapotranspiration and lack of rainfall to flush the soils
. … The practice of waterlogging without adequate drainage has also become a serious cause of soil salinization . Waterlogged soils prevent leaching of the salts imported by the irrigation water.
What is the cause of soil salinity?
Primary salinity is caused by
natural processes such the accumulation of salt from rainfall over many thousands of years or from the weathering of rocks
. … The small amounts of salt brought by the rain can build up in soils over time (especially clayey soils), and can also move into the groundwater.
How do you increase the salinity of soil?
- avoiding over-irrigation by monitoring soil moisture to work out water requirements.
- good crop selection such as using deep-rooted plants to maximise water extraction.
- minimising fallow periods using crop rotations and break crops.
- avoiding deep ripping and overtillage to minimise infiltration of water.
How do you treat saline soil?
River water or groundwater used in irrigation contains salts, which remain behind in the soil after the water has evaporated. The primary method of controlling soil salinity is to permit 10-20% of
the irrigation water to leach the soil
, that will be drained and discharged through an appropriate drainage system.
What are characteristics of saline soil?
| Characteristics Saline soils | 2. Physical a. In the presence of excess neutral soluble salts the clay fraction is flocculated and the soils have a stable structure. | b. Permeability of soils to water and air and other physical characteristics are generally comparable to normal soils. |
|---|
Is soil salinity good or bad?
Although increasing soil solution salinity has a
positive effect
on soil aggregation and stabilization, at high levels salinity can have negative and potentially lethal effects on plants. As a result, salinity cannot be increased to maintain soil structure without considering potential impacts on plant health.
What is meant by saline soil?
Saline soil is a term used to describe
excessive levels of soluble salts in the soil water (soil solution)
, high enough to negatively affect plant growth, resulting in reduced crop yields and even plant death under severe conditions (Figure 1).
What is the salinity of soil?
Soil salinity is
the amount of dissolved salts in the soil solution
(the aqueous phase in the soil). The process of accumulating soluble salts in the soil is known as salinization. Salts in the soil have an important effect on the functions and management.
How long does salt last in soil?
The salt stays in the soil until it’s leached out by water. Depending on how much salt you use as an herbicide, it could take
years
for rainwater to remove enough salt to make the soil viable for plant life again.
Which fertilizer cures the salinity of soil?
For decrease the field salinity we can use organic fertilizers such as the green manure and vermicompost. The generally accepted fertilizer is
farmyard manure (FYM)
for agriculture in most saline areas.
Why is salinity a problem?
Salinity
affects production in crops, pastures and trees by interfering with nitrogen uptake
, reducing growth and stopping plant reproduction. Some ions (particularly chloride) are toxic to plants and as the concentration of these ions increases, the plant is poisoned and dies.
What is difference between saline soil and alkaline soil?
The key difference between saline and alkaline soils is that
saline soils have a pH less than 8.5 and an exchangeable sodium percentage less than 15
, while alkaline soils have a pH greater than 8.5 and an exchangeable sodium percentage higher than 15. … Alkaline soils and saline soils are two types of basic soils.
What are the plants living in saline soils called?
Hydrophytes
. Plants growing in saline soil/high concentration of salts are halophytes.
What is the difference between saline and sodic soils?
Saline soils have excessive amounts of soluble salt, while
sodic soils have high amounts of exchangeable sodium in the soil itself
.
Which type of soil is saline in nature?
The correct answer is option 4 i.e
Arid soil
. Arid soils are the soils of desert semi-arid regions. Arid soil is generally sandy in texture and saline in nature. It contains high salt and low humus content.
