Slope stability of an unsaturated embankment with and without natural pore water salinity subjected to rainfall infiltration

Natural soils contain a certain amount of salt in the form of dissolved ions or electrically charged atoms,originated from the long-term erosion by acidic rainwater.The dissolved salt poses an extra osmotic water potential being normally neglected in laboratory measurements and numerical analyses.However,ignorance of salinity may result in overestimation of stability,and the design may not be as conservative as thought.Therefore,this research aims to first experimentally examine the influence of pore water salinity on water retention curve and saturated permeability of natural dispersive loess under saline and desalinated conditions.Second,the measured parameters are used for stability analyses of a railway embankment in an area subjected to regional rainfall incident.Eventually,a numerical parametric study is carried out to explore the significance of different rainfall schemes,construction patterns,and anisotropic permeability on the factor of safety.Results reveal that desalinization suppresses the water retention capability,which in turn results in a tremendous declination of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.Despite the natural saline embankment,rainfall can hardly infiltrate into the desalinated embankment due to the lower conductivity.Therefore,the factor of safety for natural saline conditions drops notably,while only marginal changes occur in the case of the desalinated embankment.

Effects of water salinity and N application rate on water- and N-use efficiency of cotton under drip irrigation

In arid and semi-arid regions, freshwater scarcity and high water salinity are serious and chronic problems for crop production and sustainable agriculture development. We conducted a field experiment to evaluate the effect of irrigation water salinity and nitrogen（N） application rate on soil salinity and cotton yield under drip irrigation during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. The experimental design was a 3×4 factorial with three irrigation water salinity levels（0.35, 4.61 and 8.04 dS/m） and four N application rates（0, 240, 360 and 480 kg N/hm2）. Results showed that soil water content increased as the salinity of the irrigation water increased, but decreased as the N application rate increased. Soil salinity increased as the salinity of the irrigation water increased. Specifically, soil salinity measured in 1：5 soil：water extracts was 218% higher in the 4.61 dS/m treatment and 347% higher in the 8.04 dS/m treatment than in the 0.35 dS/m treatment. Nitrogen fertilizer application had relatively little effect on soil salinity, increasing salinity by only 3%–9% compared with the unfertilized treatment. Cotton biomass, cotton yield and evapotranspiration（ET） decreased significantly in both years as the salinity of irrigation water increased, and increased as the N application rate increased regardless of irrigation water salinity; however, the positive effects of N application were reduced when the salinity of the irrigation water was 8.04 dS/m. Water use efficiency（WUE） was significantly higher by 11% in the 0.35 dS/m treatment than in the 8.04 dS/m treatment. There was no significant difference in WUE between the 0.35 dS/m treatment and the 4.61 dS/m treatment. The WUE was also significantly affected by the N application rate. The WUE was highest in the 480 kg N/hm2 treatment, being 31% higher than that in the 0 kg N/hm2 treatment and 12% higher than that in the 240 kg N/hm2 treatment. There was no significant difference between the 360 and 480 kg N/hm2 treatments. The N use efficiency（NUE） was significantly lower in the 8.04 dS/m treatment than in either the 4.61 dS/m or the 0.35 dS/m treatment. There was no significant difference in NUE between the latter two treatments. These results suggest that irrigation water with salinity 〈4.61 dS/m does not have an obvious negative effect on cotton production, WUE or NUE under the experimental conditions. Application of N fertilizer（0–360 kg N/hm2） could alleviate salt damage, promote cotton growth, and increase both cotton yield and water use efficiency.

Irrigation water salinity and N fertilization:Effects on ammonia oxidizer abundance, enzyme activity and cotton growth in a drip irrigated cotton field

Use of saline water in irrigated agriculture has become an important means for alleviating water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this field experiment was to evaluate the effects of irrigation water salinity and N fertilization on soil physicochemical and biological properties related to nitrification and denitrification. A 3×2 factorial design was used with three levels of irrigation water salinity（0.35, 4.61 and 8.04 d S m-1） and two N rates（0 and 360 kg N ha^（-1））. The results indicated that irrigation water salinity and N fertilization had significant effects on many soil physicochemical properties including water content, salinity, p H, NH_4-N concentration, and NO_3-N concentration. The abundance（i.e., gene copy number） of ammonia-oxidizing archaea（AOA） was greater than that of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria（AOB） in all treatments. Irrigation water salinity had no significant effect on the abundance of AOA or AOB in unfertilized plots. However, saline irrigation water（i.e., the 4.61 and 8.04 d S m-1 treatments） reduced AOA abundance, AOB abundance and potential nitrification rate in N fertilized plots. Regardless of N application rate, saline irrigation water increased urease activity but reduced the activities of both nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. Irrigation with saline irrigation water significantly reduced cotton biomass, N uptake and yield. Nitrogen application exacerbated the negative effect of saline water. These results suggest that brackish water and saline water irrigation could significantly reduce both the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and potential nitrification rates. The AOA may play a more important role than AOB in nitrification in desert soil.

Hybrid low salinity water and surfactant process for enhancing heavy oil recovery

Combining low salinity water (LSW) with surfactants has an enormous potential for enhancing oil recovery processes. However, there is no consensus about the mechanisms involved, in addition to the fact that several studies have been conducted in model systems, while experiments with rocks and reservoir fluids are scarce. This study presents a core-flooding experiment of LSW injection, with and without surfactant, using the core and heavy oil samples obtained from a sandstone reservoir in southeastern Mexico. The effluents and the crude oil obtained at each stage were analyzed. The study was complemented by tomographic analysis. The results revealed that LSW injection and hybrid process with surfactants obtained an increase of 11.4 percentage points in recovery factor. Various phenomena were caused by LSW flooding, such as changes in wettability and pH, ion exchange, mineral dissolution, detachment of fines and modification of the hydrocarbon profile. In the surfactant flooding, the reduction of interfacial tension and alteration of wettability were the main mechanisms involved. The findings of this work also showed that the conditions believed to be necessary for enhanced oil recovery with LSW, such as the presence of kaolinite or high acid number oil, are not relevant.

Boosting overall saline water splitting by constructing a strain-engineered high-entropy electrocatalyst

High-entropy materials(HEMs),which are newly manufactured compounds that contain five or more metal cations,can be a platform with desired properties,including improved electrocatalytic performance owing to the inherent complexity.Here,a strain engineering methodology is proposed to design transition-metal-based HEM by Li manipulation(LiTM)with tunable lattice strain,thus tailoring the electronic structure and boosting electrocatalytic performance.As confirmed by the experiments and calculation results,tensile strain in the LiTM after Li manipulation can optimize the d-band center and increase the electrical conductivity.Accordingly,the asprepared LiTM-25 demonstrates optimized oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction activity in alkaline saline water,requiring ultralow overpotentials of 265 and 42 mV at 10 mA cm−2,respectively.More strikingly,LiTM-25 retains 94.6%activity after 80 h of a durability test when assembled as an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer.Finally,in order to show the general efficacy of strain engineering,we incorporate Li into electrocatalysts with higher entropies as well.

Effect of Saline Water on Soil Acidity, Alkalinity and Nutrients Leaching in Sandy Loamy Soil in Rwamagana Bella Flower Farm, Rwanda

The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na+) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.

Freshening of the Intermediate Waters in the Northern South China Sea over the Past Six Decades

The properties of salinity in the South China Sea(SCS),a significant marginal sea connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans,are greatly influenced by the transport of fresh water flux between the two oceans.However,the long-term changes in the intermediate water in the SCS have not been thoroughly studied due to limited data,particularly in relation to its thermodynamic variations.This study utilized reanalysis data products to identify a 60-year trend of freshening in the intermediate waters of the northern South China Sea(NSCS),accompanied by an expansion of low-salinity water.The study also constructed salinity budget terms,including advection and entrainment processes,and conducted an analysis of the salinity budget to understand the impacts of external and internal dynamic processes on the freshening trend of the intermediate water in the NSCS.The analysis revealed that the freshening in the northwest Pacific Ocean and the intensification of intrusion through the Luzon Strait at intermediate levels are the primary drivers of the salinity changes in the NSCS.Additionally,a weakened trend in the intensity of vertical entrainment also contributes to the freshening in the NSCS.This study offers new insights into the understanding of regional deep sea changes in response to variations in both thermodynamics and oceanic dynamic processes.

Effect of water salinity on oil/brine interfacial behaviour during low salinity waterflooding: A mechanistic study

In recent years,controlling the salinity and composition of the injected water has become an emerging enhanced oil recovery(EOR)technique,often described as low salinity(LS)waterflooding.This work is done with the intention to contribute to the ongoing discussions about LS waterflooding mechanism(s).For this purpose,a series of different experiments were conducted.At first,the effect of salinity on the interfacial tension(IFT)and the contact angle was evaluated with a crude oil sample.Then to achieve more accurate results in observing oil/water interface,similar IFT experiments were also carried out on a synthetic oil containing asphaltenes.Thereafter,microscopic visualization using glass micromodel was performed on the interface of the synthetic oil sample and brines.Four brine solutions including Sea Water(SW),it's dilutions and formation water(FW)were used for various experiments.Finally,to investigate the presented mechanism by other authors,a series of Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy(ESEM)analysis on the synthetic oil was carried out to understand better the phase behaviour after contacting both synthetic oil and water phases from the micromodel experiment.Based on the existing mechanism,there exists an optimal concentration beyond which dilution is no longer an effective process.

Evaluation of irrigation water salinity and leaching fraction on the water productivity for crops

In arid and semi-arid irrigated croplands,the excessive accumulation of soluble salts in the root zone is an extensive problem that seriously limits crop yield and water productivity(WP).To avoid affects the yield potential of crops,the application of extra irrigation for leaching of excessive salts from the root zone was required.Quantitative knowledge of effects of the irrigation water salinity and leaching fraction(LF)on the relative yield(RY)and the unit water productivity of crop evapotranspiration(UWPET)and the unit water productivity of irrigation water(UWPI)were becoming gradually important.This article provided theoretical models for estimating the UWPs(UWPET and UWPI)and optimizing leaching fraction according to irrigation water salinity.In the present study,eight levels of irrigation water salinity(ECw=0.25,0.50,0.75,1,2,3,4,and 5 dS/m)and 39 levels of LF values ranging from 0.04 to 0.80 were set and tested to assessing their effects on the RY and UWPs for four typical crops(barley,bean,wheat,and maize)with different salt tolerance levels.Almost every curve determined between the UWPs and LFs for the four crops had an inflection point.It was indicated that the UWPET and UWPI could be maximized by optimizing the LF under different irrigation water salinities.Furthermore,the linear regression relationships were established to estimate the maximum values of UWPs and their corresponding optimal LFs for four crops by using the irrigation water salinity.Moreover,the theoretical models for estimating the UWPs were validated by data of wheat from previous literature,and the models could be suitable with acceptable relative errors when LFs ranging from 0.07 to 0.17.

Effects of irrigation water salinity on soil salt content distribution,soil physical properties and water use efficiency of maize for seed production in arid Northwest China

In order to explore the use of groundwater resources,field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years during 2012-2014 in the Shiyang River basin of Northwest China.Irrigation was conducted using four different water salinity levels that were arranged in a split plot design.These four water salinity levels were s0,s3,s6 and s9(0.71,3,6 and 9 g/L,respectively).The soil salt content,soil bulk density,soil porosity,saturated hydraulic conductivity,plant height,leaf area index and yield of maize for seed production were measured for studying the effects of saline water irrigation on soil salt content distribution,soil physical properties and water use efficiency.It was observed that higher salinity level of irrigation water and long duration of saline water irrigation resulted in more salt accumulation.Compared to initial values,the soil salt accumulation in 0-100 cm soil layer after three years of experiments for s0,s3,s6 and s9 was 0.189 mg/cm3,0.654 mg/cm3,0.717 mg/cm3 and 1.135 mg/cm3,respectively.Both greater salt levels in the irrigation water and frequent saline water irrigation led to greater soil bulk density,but poorer soil porosity and less saturated hydraulic conductivity.The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased with increase in soil bulk density,but increased with improvement in soil porosity.It was noted that the maize height,leaf area index and maize yield gradually decreased with increase in water salinity.The maize yield decreased over 25%and the water use efficiency also gradually declined when irrigated with water containing 6 g/L and 9 g/L salinity levels.However,maize yield following saline water irrigation with 3 g/L decreased less than 20%and the decline in water use efficiency was not significant during the three-year experiment period.The results demonstrate that irrigation with saline water at the level of 6 g/L and 9 g/L in the study area is not suitable,while saline water irrigation with 3 g/L would be acceptable for a short duration together with salt leaching through spring irrigation before sowing.

Enhanced oil recovery from carbonate reservoirs by spontaneous imbibition of low salinity water

An experimental study was performed to investigate the impact of low salinity water on wettability alteration in carbonate core samples from southern Iranian reservoirs by spontaneous imbibition. In this paper, the effect of temperature, salinity,permeability and connate water were investigated by comparing the produced hydrocarbon curves. Contact angle measurements were taken to confirm the alteration of surface wettability of porous media. Oil recovery was enhanced by increasing the dilution ratio of sea water, and there existed an optimum dilution ratio at which the highest oil recovery was achieved. In addition, temperature had a very significant impact on oil recovery from carbonate rocks. Furthermore, oil recovery from a spontaneous imbibition process was directly proportional to the permeability of the core samples. The presence of connate water saturation inside the porous media facilitated oil production significantly. Also, the oil recovery from porous media was highly dependent on ion repulsion/attraction activity of the rock surface which directly impacts on the wettability conditions. Finally, the highest ion attraction percentage was measured for sodium while there was no significant change in pH for all experiments.

Evaluation of boron isotopes in halite as an indicator of the salinity of Qarhan paleolake water in the eastern Qaidam Basin, western China

In this study, nineteen brine samples from the Qarhan Salt Lake(QSL) in western China were collected and analyzed for boron(B) and chlorine(Cl) concentrations, total dissolved solids(TDS), pH values and stable B isotopic compositions. The B concentrations and δ^(11) B values of brines in the QSL range from 51.6 mg/L to138.4 mg/L, and from +9.32& to +13.08&, respectively. By comparison of B concentrations and TDS of brines in QSL with evaporation paths of brackish water, we found that B enrichment of brines primarily results from strong evaporation and concentration of Qarhan lake water. Combining with comparisons of B concentrations, TDS, p H values and δ^(11) B values of brines, previously elemental ratios(K/Cl, Mg/Cl, Ca/Cl, B/Cl) and δ^(11) B values of halite from a sediment core(ISL1 A), we observe good correlations between B concentrations and TDS, TDS and pH values, pH and δ^(11) B values of brines, which demonstrate that higher B concentrations and more positive δ^(11) B values of halite indicate higher salinity of the Qarhan paleolake water as well as drier paleoclimatic conditions. Based on this interpretation of the δ^(11) B values of halite in core ISL1 A, higher salinity of the Qarhan paleolake occurred during two intervals, around 46-34 ka and26-9 ka, which are almost coincident with the upper and lower halite-dominated salt layers in core ISL1 A,drier climate phases documented from the δ^(18) O record of carbonate in core ISL1 A and the paleomoisture record in monsoonal central Asia, and a higher solar insolation at 30°N. These results demonstrate that the δ^(11) B values of halite in the arid Qaidam Basin could be regarded as a new proxy for reconstructing the salinity record of paleolake water as well as paleoclimate conditions.

Numerical Simulation and Dynamical Analysis for Low Salinity Water Lens in the Expansion Area of the Changjiang Diluted Water

The low salinity water lenses（LSWLes） in the expansion area of the Changjiang diluted water（CDW） exist in a certain period of time in some years. The impact of realistic river runoff, ocean currents and weather conditions need to be taken into account in the dynamical analysis of LSWL, which is in need of research. In this paper, the POM-σ-z model is used to set up the numerical model for the expansion of the CDW. Then LSWL in summer 1977 is simulated, and its dynamic mechanism driven by wind, tide, river runoff and the Taiwan Warm Current is also analyzed. The simulated results indicate that the isolated LSWL detaches itself from the CDW near the river mouth, and then moves towards the northeast region outside the Changjiang Estuary. Its maintaining period is from July 26 to August 11. Its formation and development is mainly driven by two factors. One is the strong southeasterly wind lasting for ten days. The other is the vertical tidal mixing during the transition from neap tide to spring tide.

Types of Irrigation Water and Soil Amendment Affect the Growth and Flowering of Petunia x alkinsiana ‘Bravo Pinc’

Water insufficiency is the hampering feature of crop sustainability,especially in arid and semi-arid regions.So,the effectual usage of all water resources especially underground brackish water represents the core priority in Saudi Arabia.The present study aimed to recognize the influence of different types of water irrigation(tap water as a control,salinized well water,and magnetized salinized well water)with or without soil amendments(soil without any amendment as a control,peat-moss,ferrous sulfate,and peat-moss plus ferrous sulfate)on petunia plant growth and flowering as well as ion content.Irrigating Petunia plants with saline well water adversely affected growth and flowering as compared to tap water and magnetized saline well water.Additionally,plants irrigated with magnetized water showed a significant enhancement in all the studied vegetative and flowering growth parameters as compared to those irrigated with salinized well water.Furthermore,mineral contents and survival of Petunia plants irrigated with magnetized well water were higher than those irrigated with tap water.Irrigation with magnetized well water significantly reduced levels of Na+and Cl−ions in leaves of Petunia plants indicating the role of magnetization in alleviating harmful effects of salinity.In conclusion,we recommend the utilization of magnetized saline well water for irrigating Petunia plants either alone or in combination with soil amendments(peat moss plus ferrous sulfate).

Effects of deficit irrigation with saline water on spring wheat growth and yield in arid Northwest China

Field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to study the effects of deficit irrigation with saline water on spring wheat growth and yield in an arid region of Northwest China. Nine treatments included three salinity levels sl, s2 and s3 （0.65, 3.2, and 6.1 dS/m） in combination with three water levels wl, w2 and w3 （375, 300, and 225 mm）. In 2008, for most treatments, deficit irrigation showed adverse effects on wheat growth; meanwhile, the effect of saline irrigation was not apparent. In 2009, growth parameters of wl treatments were not always optimal under saline irrigation. At 3.2 and 6.1 dS/m in 2008, the highest yield was obtained by wl treatments, however, in 2009, the weight of 1,000 grains and wheat yield both followed the order w2 〉 wl 〉 w3. In this study, spring wheat was sensitive to water deficit, especially at the booting to grain-filling stages, but was not significantly affected by saline irrigation and the combination of the two factors. The results demonstrated that 300-mm irrigation water with a salinity of less than 3.2 dS/m is suitable for wheat fields in the study area.

Soil water and salt distribution under furrow irrigation of saline water with plastic mulch on ridge

Furrow irrigation when combined with plastic mulch on ridge is one of the current uppermost wa- ter-saving irrigation technologies for arid regions. The present paper studies the dynamics of soil water-salt trans- portation and its spatial distribution characteristics under irrigation with saline water in a maize field experiment. The mathematical relationships for soil salinity, irrigation amount and water salinity are also established to evaluate the contribution of the irrigation amount and the salinity of saline water to soil salt accumulation. The result showed that irrigation with water of high salinity could effectively increase soil water content, but the increment is limited com- paring with the influence from irrigation amount. The soil water content in furrows was higher than that in ridges at the same soil layers, with increments of 12.87% and 13.70% for MMF9 （the treatment with the highest water salinity and the largest amount of irrigation water） and MMF1 （the treatment with the lowest water salinity and the least amount of irrigation water） on 27 June, respectively. The increment for MMF9 was gradually reduced while that for MMF1 increased along with growth stages, the values for 17 August being 2.40% and 19.92%, respectively. Soil water content in the ridge for MMF9 reduced gradually from the surface layer to deeper layers while the surface soil water content for MMF1 was smaller than the contents below 20 cm at the early growing stage. Soil salinities for the treatments with the same amount of irrigation water but different water salinity increased with the water salinity. When water salinity was 6.04 dS/m, the less water resulted in more salt accumulation in topsoil and less in deep layers. When water salinity was 2.89 dS/m, however, the less water resulted in less salt accumulation in topsoil and salinity remained basically stable in deep layers. The salt accumulation in the ridge surface was much smaller than that in the furrow bottom under this technology, which was quite different from traditional furrow irrigation. The soil salinities for MMF7, MMF8 and MMF9 in the ridge surface were 0.191, 0.355 and 0.427 dS/m, respectively, whereas those in the furrow bottom were 0.316, 0.521 and 0.631 dS/m, respectively. The result of correlation analysis indicated that compared with irrigation amount, the irrigation water salinity was still the main factor influ- encing soil salinity in furrow irrigation with plastic mulch on ridge.

Sustainable Irrigation with Brackish Groundwater in Heilonggang Region,China

Saline groundwater is widely distributed in Heilonggang region. While deep confined water is being mined, saline water has not been used in most part of the region. Extension of saline water irrigation is of significance to resolve water shortage, slow down environmental degradation and support the sustainable development of the local agriculture. Four key points are proposed to be managed by comprehensive measures: (1) adapting salt resistant ability; (2) reducing salt input; (3) decreasing soil surface evaporation and salt accumulation in the root zone, and (4) washing away salt from the root zone. Experiments and farming practices demonstrated that brackish water with TDS (total dissolved solids) of 2-5 g/l can be used for crop irrigation. For example, winter wheat can be sustainably irrigated by brackish water with a water limitation of 120 mm every year. Irrigation in combination with different comprehensive measures can increase the efficiency of saline water irrigation.

Qualitative analysis and quantitative simulation on Yin-Huang water salinization mechanism in Bei-Da-Gang Reservoir

Yellow River water transfer for Tianjin is important in solving the water shortage in Tianjin, which facilitate economic development and social progress for many years. Fresh water drawn from Yellow River（ i. e., Yin-Huang water） becomes saltier and saltier when being stored in the Bei-Da-Gang reservoir. We qualitatively analyze the water salinization mechanism based on mass transfer theory. The main factors are salinity transfer of saline soil, evaporation concentrating, and the agitation of wind. A simulative experimental pond and an evaporation pond were built beside the Bei-Da-Gang reservoir to quantitatively investigate the water salinization based on water and solute balance in the simulative pond. 80% of increased [Cl^-] is due to the salinity transfer of the saline soil and the other 20% is due to evaporation concentrating, so the former is the most important factor. We found that the salinization of Yin-Huang water can be described with a zero-dimension linear model.

Groundwater contributions in water-salt balances of the lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Groundwater-fed lakes are essential for the ecology in arid and semiarid regions.As a typical arid region,the Badain Jaran Desert （BJD） is famous in the world for the presence of a large number of groundwater-fed saline lakes among the mega dunes.Based on the up to date geological surveys and observations,this study analyzed the groundwater contributions in water-salt balances of the lakes in the desert.We found different types of springs,including the sublacustrine springs that indicate an upward flow of groundwater under the lakebed.A simplified water balance model was developed to analyze the seasonal variations of water level in the Sumu Barun Jaran Lake,which revealed an approximately steady groundwater discharge in the lake and explained why the amplitude of seasonal changes in lake level is less than 0.5 m.In addition,a salt balance model was developed to evaluate the salt accumulations in the groundwater-fed lakes.The relative salt accumulation time is 800–7,000 years in typical saline lakes,which were estimated from the concentration of Cl-,indicating a long history evolution for the lakes in the BJD.Further researches are recommended to provide comprehensive investigations on the interactions between the lakes and groundwater in the BJD.

Effects of water application intensity of microsprinkler irrigation on water and salt environment and crop growth in coastal saline soils

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of water application intensity（WAI） on soil salinity management and the growth of Festuca arundinacea（festuca） under three stages of water and salt management strategies using microsprinkler irrigation in Hebei Province, North China. The soil water content（è） and salinity of homogeneous coastal saline soils were evaluated under different water application intensities in the laboratory experiment. The results indicated that the WAI of microsprinkler irrigation influenced the è, electrical conductivity（ECe） and p H of saline soils. As the WAI increased, the average values of è and ECe in the 0–40 cm profile also increased, while their average values in the 40–60 cm profile decreased. The p H value also slightly decreased as depth increased, but no significant differences were observed between the different treatments. The time periods of the water redistribution treatments had no obvious effects. Based on the results for è, ECe and p H, a smaller WAI was more desirable. The field experiment was conducted after being considered the results of the technical parameter experiment and evaporation, wind and leaching duration. The field experiment included three stages of water and salt regulation, based on three soil matric potentials（SMP）, in which the SMP at a 20-cm depth below the surface was used to trigger irrigation. The results showed that the microsprinkler irrigation created an appropriate environment for festuca growth through the three stages of water and salt regulation. The low-salinity conditions that occurred at 0–10 cm depth during the first stage（-5 k Pa） continued to expand through the next two stages. The average p H value was less than 8.5. The tiller number of festuca increased as SMP decreased from the first stage to the third stage. After the three stages of water and salt regulation, the highly saline soil gradually changed to a low-saline soil. Overall, based on the salt desalinization, the microsprinkler irrigation and three stages of water and salt regulation could be successfully used to cultivate plants for the reclamation of coastal saline land in North China.