Sabkha soil

Mangrove soils. The sample of mangrove paleosoils used for extraction and pyrolysis was collected, from the sabkha, one kilometers inland at a depth of 50 cm. It corresponds to the upper part of the soil (30 cm thick), made from the accumulation of leaves and roots. The TOC of this sample is 8.2 %. Selective diagenesis of organic tissues observed in thin sections of the soil leads to a relative... 

With evaporative concentration are also associated salts accumulated in soils and ground in the territories with arid climate, in particular, in drainless depressions. They form saline lands (sabkhas, sors, shorts). On the saline surface in such locations often form hard, sometimes fractured salt crust up to 10-15 cm thick. Excessive irrigation for expanding cultivated acreage in conditions of arid climate can cause rise of ground water level and salinization of soils. 

Shahid S.A., Abdelfattah M.A. Wilson A. 2007 - A Unique Anhydrite Soil in the Coasta Sabkha of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Soil Surv. Hoiiz., 48 75-79. 

A distinguishing feature of a sabkha is the presence of salt. Normally the salinity of groundwater rapidly inereases in a landward direction, with the result that the creation of salt crystals, caused by evaporation and desiccation, can form relatively hard crusty surfaces. The salt encrusted surfaces are sufficiently strong and durable. They become impassable upon wetting from rainfall or storm tides. In general a soil with a salt content equal to or more than 0.3% can be defined as a saline soil (Naifeng 1994). Salt can also be transported by wind. 

Most sabkha sediments will not collapse upon wetting. A prediction can be made by pouring fresh water over sabkha lumps. If after 20 minutes the lumps have completely disintegrated (fallen apart) then the soil might be prone to collapse. 

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