Discussion on the Scenario of Salt Accumulation in Yarkand Basin during Late Cretaceous

Large-scale accumulation of salt and formation of potash concentrated in Tethys domain during late Mesozoic to early Cenozoic.These events were typified by the formation of Laos-Thailand and Lanping-Simao

Salt-Water Transport in Unsaturated Soils Under Crop Planting: Dynamics and Numerical Simulation

A laboratory salt-water dynamics experiment using unsaturated soils in packed silt loam and clay soil columns withdifferent soil texture profiles and groundwater levels under crops were conducted to study the changes of salt-waterdynamics induced by water uptake of crops and to propose the theoretical basis for the regulation and control of salt-water dynamics as well as to predict salinity levels. The HYDRUS 1D model was applied to simulate the one-dimensionalmovement of water and salt transport in the soil columns. The results showed that the salts mainly accumulated in theplow layer in the soil columns under crops. Soil water and salt both moved towards the plow layer due to soil waterabsorption by the crop root system. The salt contents in the column with lower groundwater were mostly greater thanthose with high groundwater. The water contents in the soil columns increased from top to the bottom due to plant rootwater uptake. The changes in groundwater level had little influence on water content of the root zone in the soil columnswith crop planting. Comparison between the simulated and the determined values showed that model simulation resultswere ideal, so it is practicable to do numerical simulation of soil salt and water transport by the HYDRUS 1D model.Furthermore, if the actual movement of salt and water in fields is to be described in detail, much work needs to be done.The most important thing is to refine the parameters and select precise boundary conditions.

Salt-Water Dynamics in Soils: Ⅰ. Salt-Water Dynamics in Unsaturated Soils Under Stable Evaporation Condition

A long term simulation test on salt-water dynamics in unsaturated soils with different groundwater depths and soil texture profiles under stable evaporation condition was conducted.Salinity sensors and tensiometers were used to monitor salt and water variation in soils.The experiment revealed that in the process of fresh groundwater moving upwards by capillary rise in the column,the salts in subsoil were brought upwards and accumulated in the surface soil,and consequently the salinization of surface soil took place.The rate of salt accumulation is determined mainly by the volume of capillary water flow and the conditions of salts contained in the soil profile.Water flux in soils decreased obviously when groundwater depths fell below 1.5m.When there was an interbedded clay layer 30cm in thickness in the silty loam soil profile or a clay layer 100cm in thickness at the top layer,the water flux was 3-5 times less than in the soil profile of homogeneous silty loam soil.Therefore,the rate of salt accumulation was decreased and the effect of variation of groundwater depth on the water flux in soils was weakened comparatively.If there was precipitation or irrigation supplying water to the soil,the groundwater could rarely take a direct part in the process of salt accumulation in surface soil,especially,in soil profiles with an interbedded stratum or a clayey surface soil layer.

Effect of Irrigation with Saline Water on Soil Water-Salt Dynamics and Maize yield in Arid Northwest China

An experiment was conducted in non-weighing lysimeters to study the effect of irrigation with saline water on water movement and salt accumulation and maize yield. The experiment was carried out in northwest China,both sufficient and insufficient irrigation were applied in the first year,and only sufficient treatments in the second year. Irrigation with solute concentration of 9 g·L-1 and 6 g·L-1 led to salt accumulation about 6-8 dS·m-1 in certain depths,even downwards to 160 cm received about 4 dS·m-1 for 9 g·L-1 and 2 dS·m-1 for 6 g·L-1,which was two times more than initial. Salt-affected water extracted from soil behaved as low evapotranspiration under sufficient irrigation,and more water was left in the soil. Yield of spring maize was not affected when saturated soil paste electrical conductivity did not exceeded 1.2 dS·m-1.

Soil Salinity Changes Under Cropping with Lycium barbarum L.and Irrigation with Saline-Sodic Water

In order to utilize the wasted saline-sodic soils under shallow groundwater condition, a 3-year field study was carried in a field cropped with Lycium barbarum L. and irrigated by drip irrigation with saline groundwater under the water table depth of 30-40 cm in the northern Yinchuan Plain, China. Effects of cropping duration （one, two, and three years） on soil salinity, soil solution composition, and pH in three adjacent plots were investigated in 2008. Results showed that a high irrigation frequency maintained high soil water potential and subsequently facilitated infiltration and downward movement of water and salt in the crop root zone. Salt accumulated on the edges of the ridges, and soil saturated-paste electrical conductivity （ECe） was higher in the edge. Concentrations of Na^＋, Ca^2＋, Mg^2＋, Cl^-, and SO24^- in the soil increased with the soil depth as did the ECe, while HCO3 and pH had a relative uniform distribution in soil profile. As planting year increased, the ECe and soil salts in the field had a decreasing tendency, while in the root zone they decreased immediately after irrigation and then remained relatively stable in the following growing seasons. HCO3 and pH had little change with the planting year. Results suggested that the application of drip irrigation with saline water could ameliorate saline-sodic soil and provide a relatively feasible soil environment for saline-sodic soils with shallow groundwater.

Assessment of major ions and heavy metals in groundwater： a case study from Guangzhou and Zhuhai of the Pearl River Delta, China

Anthropogenic activities in the Pearl River Delta （PRD） have caused a deterioration of groundwater quality over the past twenty years as a result of rapid urbanization and industrial development. In this study, the hydrochemical characteristics, quality, and sources of heavy metals in the groundwater of the PRD were investigated. Twenty-five groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity （EC）, total dissolved solids （TDS）, δ18O,δ~2H, major ions, and heavy metals. The groundwater was slightly acidic and presented TDS values that ranged from 35.5 to 8,779.3 mg.L-1. The concentrations of the major ions followed the order Cl- 〉 HCO3-〉 Na＋ 〉 SO24- 〉 NO3 〉 NH4＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 K＋ 〉 Mg2＋ 〉 Fe2＋/3＋ 〉 Al3＋. Ca-Mg- HCO3 and Na-K-HCO3 were the predominant types of facies, and the chemical composition of the groundwater was primarily controlled by chemical weathering of the basement rocks, by mixing of freshwater and seawater and by anthropogenic activities. The heavy metal pollution index （HPI） indicated that 64% of the samples were in the low category, 16% were in the medium category and 20% were in the high category, providing further evidence that this groundwater is unsuitable for drinking. Lead, arsenic, and manganese were mainly sourced from landfill leachate; cadmium from landfill leachate and agricultural wastes; mercury from the discharge of leaehate associated with mining activities and agricultural wastes; and chromium primarily from industrial wastes. According to the irrigation water quality indicators, the groundwater in the PRD can be used for irrigation in most farmland without strong negative impacts. However, approximately9 million people in the Guangdong Province are at risk due to the consumption of untreated water. Therefore, we suggest that treating the groundwater to achieve safer levels is necessary.