Soil and Aquifer Salinization: Toward an Integrated Approach for Salinity Management of Groundwater

Abstract

Degradation of the quality of groundwater due to salinization processes is one of the key issues limiting the global dependence on groundwater in aquifers. As the salinization of shallow aquifers is closely related to root-zone salinization, the two must be considered together. This chapter initially describes the physical and chemical processes causing salinization of the root-zone and shallow aquifers, highlighting the dynamics of these processes and how they can be influenced by irrigation and drainage practices, thus illustrating the connectivity between soil and groundwater salinization. The processes leading to aquifer salinization in both inland and coastal areas are discussed. The roles of extractive resource industries, such as mining and coal bed methane operations, in causing aquifer salinization are also outlined. Hydrogeochemical changes occurring during salinization of aquifers are examined with the aid of Piper and Mixing Diagrams. The chapter then illustrates the extent of the problem of groundwater salinization as influenced by management and policy using two case studies. The first is representative of a developing country and explores management of salt-affected soils in the Indus Valley, Pakistan, while the second looks at a developed country, and illustrates how through monitoring we can deduce

Combined salinity and acidity stressors alterDaphnia magnapopulation growth and structure under severe absence of photoperiod

“…Both above and below ground freshwater resources are threatened around the globe by elevated levels of salinity within and away from coastal regions due to primary (natural) and secondary (anthropogenic) causes [95]. This includes runoff associated with road-treating salts with consequent groundwater salinisation [93,96], hydrological alterations of waterways and changes in water quality [4,97,98], mining and agriculture [4], and movement of saltwater inland following storm surges, flash floods, rising sea level, and tsunamis [38–41].…”

Modelling Productivity of Crops in Short Crop Rotation at Irrigation Taking Into Account Agroecological and Technological Factors

“…The groundwater on the studied irrigated array are at the depth of more than 18 m, so they do not affect the water regime of the active (estimated) soil layer. The content of salts in groundwater according to the reference data 17 is on low level.…”

Soil Chemistry Factors Confounding Crop Salinity Tolerance—A Review

“…Categories of salt-affected soils based on EC e (dS/m), SAR e , and pH 1:5 water of soil solutions and possible mechanisms of impact on plants. Toxicity, deficiency, or ion-imbalance due to various ions will depend on the ionic composition of soil solution [31]. SAR e > 6 denotes sodic soils with dispersive behaviour in the Australian classification [32].…”