Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Sensing for Soil Salinization Mapping and Monitoring: A Review

Abstract

Meeting current needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet theirs is the only path toward achieving environmental sustainability. As the most valuable natural resource, soil faces global, regional, and local challenges, from quality degradation to mass losses brought on by salinization. These issues affect agricultural productivity and ecological balance, undermining sustainability and food security. Therefore, timely monitoring and accurate mapping of salinization processes are crucial, especially in semi-arid and arid regions where climate variability impacts have already reached alarming levels. Salt-affected soil mapping has enormous potential thanks to recent progress in remote sensing. This paper comprehensively reviews the potential of remote sensing to assess soil salinization. The review demonstrates that large-scale soil salinity estimation based on remote sensing tools remains a significant challenge, primarily due to data resolution and acquisition costs. Fundamental trade-offs constrain practical remote sensing applications in salinization mapping between data resolution, spatial and temporal coverage, acquisition costs, and high accuracy expectations. This article provides an overview of research work related to soil salinization mapping and monitoring using remote sensing. By synthesizing recent research and highlighting areas where further investigation is needed, this review helps to steer future efforts, provides insight for decision-making on environmental sustainability and soil resource management, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration.

Vigna marina as a Potential Leguminous Cover Crop for High Salinity Soils

“…Due to high salt concentrations in the soil, most cereal plants are subjected to salinity stress conditions, and the area of land affected by the increase in salinity is expanding daily. Accordingly, soil salinity is one of the most detrimental environmental factors affecting agricultural plant productivity and food security (Sahbeni et al, 2023;Shrivastava & Kumar, 2015). Consequently, it may be the most influential ecological factor in worldwide agricultural productivity and food security (Sahbeni et al, 2023;Schwabe et al, 2006).…”

“…Accordingly, soil salinity is one of the most detrimental environmental factors affecting agricultural plant productivity and food security (Sahbeni et al, 2023;Shrivastava & Kumar, 2015). Consequently, it may be the most influential ecological factor in worldwide agricultural productivity and food security (Sahbeni et al, 2023;Schwabe et al, 2006). Additionally, salinity is a significant hindrance to the growth of crop plants (Apse & Blumwald, 2002;Flowers, 2004;Munns & Tester, 2008;Witcombe et al, 2008).…”

“…Additionally, salinity is a significant hindrance to the growth of crop plants (Apse & Blumwald, 2002;Flowers, 2004;Munns & Tester, 2008;Witcombe et al, 2008). It also negatively impacts soil structure, nutrient availability, and plant growth, resulting in decreased cereal yields and, in extreme cases, desertification (Sahbeni et al, 2023;Shahid et al, 2018). Approximately one-third of all agricultural fields are becoming increasingly salinised, representing over a hundred countries with a wide range of climates (Khasanov et al, 2023).…”

UAV hyperspectral analysis of secondary salinization in arid oasis cotton fields: effects of FOD feature selection and SOA-RF

“…Despite their easy accessibility, these data sources often exhibit drawbacks like low spatial ( Tan et al., 2023 ) and spectral resolution alongside lengthy revisit periods ( Fan et al., 2021 ). While the lower spatial resolution and longer revisit period are advantageous for soil salinity detection across vast regions ( Sahbeni et al., 2023 ), precision agriculture requires a method apt for monitoring soil salinity in smaller areas. Conversely, traditional multispectral imagery, due to fewer bands, covers a limited spectral range.…”

Salt Stress Induces Contrasting Physiological and Biochemical Effects on Four Elite Date Palm Cultivars (Phoenix dactylifera L.) from Southeast Morocco

“…Soil salinity is a critical constraint that significantly hinders agricultural productivity globally and within the context of Morocco [ 1 ]. Several research findings indicate that soil salinity affects a significant proportion, estimated to range between 40% and 45%, of arable land worldwide, leading to substantial economic losses [ 2 , 3 ].…”