Seasonal Evolution Study of Soil Salinity under Mediterranean Condition

The objective of this work is to study the seasonal evolution of soil salinity (Solonchak) in the region of Bas-Chéliff at the scale of three soil profiles. It is therefore a question of characterizing the soil solution, defining the distribution profiles of salts in the soil, determining the speed of salinization and determining the temporal evolution of salinity between the dry season and the wet season.‌ Data analysis revealed that all three profiles experienced salinization during the dry season compared to the wet season. the three profiles are characterized by a predominantly silty-clayey texture and an average limestone content. The chemical composition of the soil solution is dominated by chlorides and sodium. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the chemical elements of the soil solution (Na+ and Cl-) have the most influence on the variability of salinity. ‌The three profiles show salinization between the wet and dry season. This salinity occurred at a speed which is respectively 8.47dS/m/month, 8.5 dS/m/month and ‌‌3.1 dS/m/month for profiles 1, 2 and 3. We can conclude that the three profiles suffered salinization during the dry season.