marksalinitet

Marksallinitet, or soil salinity, is a measure of the amount of soluble salts present in soil. It is commonly quantified by the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil paste extract (ECe) and is expressed in decisiemens per meter (dS/m). Marksallinitet describes the salt content in the soil solution and reflects the potential for osmotic stress on plants and for soil structure problems related to high salt and specific ion effects. It is distinct from salinization, which is the process by which soils become saline over time, often due to irrigation with saline water, poor drainage, or capillary rise of groundwater.

Causes of elevated marksallinitet include irrigation with saline or poor-quality water, high groundwater tables and insufficient drainage, arid or semi-arid climates, natural saline or alkaline parent materials, and coastal or inland areas affected by creeping sea-level rise. Management of marksallinitet often involves reducing salt inputs, improving drainage, and controlling the leaching of salts from the root zone.

The main effects of high marksallinitet are osmotic stress that reduces plants’ ability to take up water, specific ion toxicity (particularly sodium and chloride), and potential degradation of soil structure when sodium dominates (high SAR). Crop tolerance varies; most crops experience yield reductions as salinity increases. Soil physical properties may deteriorate, leading to crusting and reduced infiltration if sodicity is present.

Measurement and assessment typically use EC in the soil solution or saturated paste extract (ECe). Thresholds are crop- and context-specific, but general ranges are used: non-saline below about 2 dS/m, slightly saline 2–4 dS/m, moderately saline 4–8 dS/m, and strongly saline above 8 dS/m. Monitoring may involve regular soil sampling, drainage inspection, and, in some contexts, remote sensing for larger-scale salinity patterns.