There are plants that indicate that there is a salinity problem with your soil.
Some plant species can tolerate high salt concentrations and grow in these areas while others can only live in lower concentrations. Zones or concentric circles of plants can be seen in some areas indicating a change from high to low salinity.
Succulent plants such as some salt bushes often grow in saline areas. These plants usually indicate dry conditions but salinity areas have high water tables.
Plants rely on obtaining water through their roots. This depends on water naturally moving by osmosis from an area of lower salt concentration, usually in the soil, to one of higher salt concentration, found in plant cells. When the soil water is saltier than the plant cells, the plants can’t obtain water by this method and may die from lack of water. These plants tolerate and sometimes thrive in areas of high salt concentration.
There are a number of Indicators of salinity in the landscape as shown in these photos below.
- Trees often die from waterlogging, their roots no longer able to breath.
- Bare patches occur where the salt concentration is too high for plants to grow.
- Salt dissolved in pools of water causes the clay particles suspended in the water to clump together and sink to the bottom, making the water clear except for algae.
- A salt crust may be seen when the soil is dry and it may feel “puffy” when trodden on.
There are a number of urban indicators that will show up if you have a developing salinity problem in your area. Note the examples of what to look for in the photos above (from left top) :
• Breakdown of road surface caused by the saturation of the underlying soil and road base
• White markings on the surface of bricks formed from water evaporating, leaving salt crystals behind.
• Steel in contact with ground on rail lines and water pipes rusting more than normal (bottom two photos).
