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Spatial and seasonal variation of salt ions under the influence of halophytes, in a coastal flat in eastern China

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The high salinity of coastal saline field is a key factor limiting the reclamation. Halophytes have been utilized in the reclamation of saline land. The study area is in Yancheng, China. An analysis of the concentrations of Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba, the ratio of Rb/Cs, and Sr/Ba in soils in autumn shows that the soil of this study area has great homogeneity. Artemisia halodendron, Gossypium hirsutum, and Sesbania cannabina were selected as the reclamation plants in the present study. In order to know the spatial-temporal distribution of soil salinity, the influence of plant-specific vegetation, and the difference of desalination among these halophytes in coastal flat, the authors analyze the soil-layers and seasonal variation in salt ions. Sodium chloride was accumulated in 0–5 cm topsoil with no vegetation during the winter and spring. The effect of desalinization of halophytes is significant. Of the three plant species, Sesbania cannabina has the greatest desalinization. The difference of ions composition of soils covered with various plant species is significant. It can be concluded that halophytes have better amelioration of coastal soil salinity. Special attention should be paid to the selection of plant species and measures to plant and cultivate crops in the reclamation of saline land.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Start Foundation of Senior Talents of Jiangsu University and Social Developmental Key Project of Fujian Province (No. 2007Y0040).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Agricultural Equipment and Technology, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

    Yanyou Wu, Rongcheng Liu, Yuguo Zhao & Pingping Li

  2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, China

    Yanyou Wu & Congqiang Liu

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  1. Yanyou Wu
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  2. Rongcheng Liu
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  3. Yuguo Zhao
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  4. Pingping Li
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Correspondence to Yanyou Wu.

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Wu, Y., Liu, R., Zhao, Y. et al. Spatial and seasonal variation of salt ions under the influence of halophytes, in a coastal flat in eastern China. Environ Geol 57, 1501–1508 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1427-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1427-5

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