International Meeting on Soil Fertility Land Management and Agroclimatology. Turkey, 2008. p:83-93
83
An Investigation on the Relationship between Saline Soil and Halophytic Plants in Semi Arid
Region (Acıçay Stream)
Melda (Baysal) Dölarslan
1
And Ceyhun Göl
1
1
University of Çankırı Karatekin, Faculty of Forestry, 18200/Çankırı
E mail: baysal@forestry.ankara.edu.tr
Tel: +90 376 2122757/145
ABSTRACT
The main objectives of this study were to compare soil properties and plants of both sides of the Acıçay River and
evaluate relationships between salinity and landscape positions under the condition of semi-arid climate. Right side
of the Acıçay River lands has been generally used for agriculture crops, while left side lands used for grassland. Soil
properties and plant composition differentiate in the right and left sides of Acıçay River in Çankırı city which is
chosen for a research area. The change on salinity and topography affect directly vegetation and variety of land use.
With the aim of determining soil-plant interaction ,salinity has been determined in the plant-root area from two
different depths (0-20cm-20-40cm) in the right and and left sides of Acıçay River and floristic composition is
introduced in this region. Salt ratio in upper soil increases when you go near to the watershed. Salt and EC values of
soils are measured high in left sides. Besides salt and EC values decline as you come up the slope through the stream.
As a result of assessing plant samples which are collected at the time of land study, belonging 26 family 70 species
and 110 taxon (including species and sub-species ) have been ascertained.The richest families in the research area are
Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae ve Chenopodiaceae. The ratio of the five of the richest family to the
total species is 56.37. The ratio of the species dispersed in the rest 21 family is 43.63%.
Key Words: Salin Soil, Plants, Halophytic, Semi Arid, Çankırı
INTRODUCTION
The soils that are affected by salt are about 1 billion ha.in the world, although there is not any
definite figure in Turkey, it is cited that it is about 2.5 million ha (Munsuz et al., 2001). The increase on
the world population and consumption necessitate gaining new production areas. When it is said new
production area, one must think about bringing in economic support by rehabilitating problematic areas.
Rehabilitation and development of production of salty and alkaline soils are quite complicated and it
changes according with the region’s climate, soil and plant features.
It is appeared that salt, gypsium and erosion are the most important soil problems in Turkey’s arid
and semi-arid regions. Slope areas of this region are used as a meadow and base lands are used for
agricultural purposes. Great plant diversity does not exist in the areas which have salty soil condition
except halophytic. The most important effect of salt on plant is to decrease taking in water and nutrients.
Plants can not get enough water because of high osmotic potential. Toxic effect which is caused by
excessive
84
amounts of Na
+
and Cl
-
poisons the plant (Flowers and Yeo, 1981). Na
+
that is accumulated in excessive
amounts in the salt stressed plants causes a corruption of ion balance of plants by preventing K (Siegel et
al., 1980), and Cl
-
especially (NO
3
-
)
(Güne et al., 1994) intake. In the salty and gypsium regions, existent
plants should be analysed accurately in the rehabilitation and afforestation practices and plant species that
have adapted should be preferred (Sönmez, 1990). The objectives of this study were to characterize the
soil properties of the both sides of the Çankırı-Acıçay River and identifiy soil salinity and compare effects
of soil properties on plant community of Acıçay River.
MATERIALS and METHODS
Description of the Study Field
The study was carried out transect along both sides of the Çankırı-Acıçay stream which is a
prominent land form, parent material and vegetation. The study area is located approximately between 557
733 E-4 497 924 N, 557 751 E-4 4978 89 N and situated in vicinity of Çankırı province. It ranges in relief
from 740 m to 800 m and four landscape positions (in river, flat-terrace, backslope, shoulder),
representing changes in geomorphology, topographic gradients and soil characteristics, were selected. The
underlying bedrocks within the study area consist of primarily that while right side soils of the Acıçay
stream are formed on quaternary alluvial deposits that find on young and old terraces, left side soils are
formed on quaternary alluvium, alluvial-collivial material spotted on and floodplain and old terrace
oligomiocene gypsium and rock salt strata located on mid-slope and steep lands. According to
meteorological data (Anonymous, 2008), the mean annual temperature and rainfall are 11.1 ºC and 417.7
mm, respectivly. According to the Thornthwaite water-balance model, the prevailing climate is arid-
semiarid, mezo-thermal, arid-semi arid climate that has intensive water absence in summer and that was
coded with D B'
1
d b'
3
Sampling and Analysis
Climate, topography and soil properties might be the main controlling factor in plant community.
Soil and plant samples were collected from different topography and parent material at right and left sides
of stream (Figure 1). Soils have been studied on along transect (crosswise from East to West direction) at
0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths. Soil samples were taken to investigate for their chemical properties at the
laboratory. The soil samples were then air-dried and passed through a 2 mm sieve to prepare for
laboratory analysis. Soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured by a pH/conductivity meter
(Rhoades, 1996). Carbonate (CaCO
3
) was determined by pressure calcimeter method (Richard and
Donald, 1996). Ca
++
, Mg
++
, Na
+
, K
+
were determined with flame photometer (Helmke and Sparks, 1996)
85
Figure 1. Different soil formations on various parent materials, slopes and land covers along the transect of both
sides of the Acıçay stream (Dengiz et al., 2007)
The Acıçay stream is situated in the A4 square according to the Grid system of Davis (1965). The
material of plant which forms the subject of the study was collected as a consequence of the estate studies
during the term of the developing of vegetation in the years of 2007 and 2008. Plant samples have been
studied on along transect (crosswise from East to West direction) like soil samples. The estate studies was
conducted in various developing periods such as the aspect of Spring, Summer and Autumn of the
vegetation. At least two pairs of sample were taken and these samples were put in the Herbarium of Forest
Faculty, Çankırı Karatekin University after being defined. Boissier (1867-88), Harringion (1957), Polunin
(1972) and particularly the work of “The Flora of Turkey and East Eagen Islands (Davis, 1965-85)” were
used for recognition of the samples of the plants.
RESULTS and DISCUSSION
Soil chemical properties considered in this study are pH, salt, EC (Electrical Conductivity),
exchangeable cations, total phosphorus and calcium carbonate. Right side soils of the Acıçay River are
formed on quaternary alluvial deposits that are found on terrace and floodplain, alluvial-collivial deposits,
left side soils formed from quaternary alluvium, alluvial-collivial material and oligomiocene gypsium and
salt strata located on floodplain, terrace and steep lands respectively. In addition, right side lands have
been generally used for agriculture crops, while left side lands have covered three major plant community
types (herb, shrub-grass, and grass) and upper lands is generally barren due to overgrazing.
86
Soil chemical properties that have been taken into consideration in this study showed variability as
a result of dynamic interactions among natural environmental factors such as climate, parent material,
ground water, surface water, erosion and topography. Soil chemical properties on different slope position
and parent material were significantly affected by ground water, river and leaching processing (Table 1-3)
In left side soils, salt percentage of surface soils in low slope sides is more than on higher slope
except floodplain top soil that is almost salt recently alluvial deposits and the sand and gypsium content
for slopes with high gradient is lower than for low slopes. The same properties are in right soils. This case
is similar to the EC. While the lowest value (0.06 %) of salt is for slopes ranging from 30-40 %, the
highest values of salt that are steadily increased with increasing slope gradient are 1-2 %. On the other
hand, the salt ratios on the top soils increase as you come down area of the watershed. Accumulation of
salt and gypsium which dissolve in the drainage area of the watershed increases as it gets down to the
watershed. The highest salt is measured %0.26 from the 3 samples that are taken from the above of the
watershed. But the highest salt is measured %4.09 in the 1.sample that are taken from the lower
watershed. The ECs of top soils decrease as you go upward the watershed. Salt and EC amounts of soils
are measured higher in the left sides of river. The reason of this is that left side’s main material shows
salty and gypsium properties. Besides salt and EC figures decrease as you go upward the slope through the
stream.
Soils on shoulder position contain less exchangeable Na
+
, K
+
, and Mg
++
due to stronger leaching.
Soils can significantly accumulate these soluble ions such as Ca
++
, Na
+
, K
+
, Mg
++
from the upper slope
and deposite on the floodplain and terrace soils where leaching is weaker. On the other hand exchangeable
Na
+
, K
+
, and Mg
++
which are carried from high slope to low slope, are moved away lower watershed by
base water and stream flow. Therefore, the highest values (Na
+
: 220 cmol kg
-1
, K
+
: 0.78 cmol kg
-1
and
Mg
++
: 75.24 cmol kg
-1
) are measured in the top soils in the lower watershed. The distribution of Ca
++
among slope positions was the reverse of exchangeable Na
+
, K
+
and Mg
++
In spite of the leaching process,
upper slope soils contain higher Ca
++
concentration than low slope soils due to their parent materials
which are gypsiferous rocks. On the other hand, Ca
++
amount of top soils is higher in the first transect that
is taken from the lower awatershed. Ca movement that is occurred by groundwater and steram flows has
continued. Soil pH is generally greater at soil surface than at the depth. This case positively correlated
with accumulation of cation concentration such as Na
+
and K
+
. Cations that dissolve in subsoils by reason
of arid and semi-arid climate are carried to the surface.
87
Soil chemical properties undergo great variations as you go upward from starting the first transect
(Table 1-3). There is the effect of accumulation of soils that are carried by groundwater and surface flow
in the lower watershed. The ratio of salinity, EC and cations decrease as you go upward the watershed.
70 genus belonging to 26 families and 110 taxons (including species and sub-species) have been
determinede as a result of assessing plant samples being collected at the time of the land study (Table 4).
The richest families are Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae ve Chenopodiaceae. The
ratio of the five of the richest family to the total speceis is 56.37%. The ratio of the species dispersed in
the rest 21 species is 43.63%.
Research area is in Iran-Turan floristic region. According to this, regions’ dominant vegetation
constitute step formations in which trees and shrubs are found locally and sporadically. Regarding this,
while step characteristic plants have been encountered in the third and fourth transect in the reserach area,
salty characteristic (halophytic) plants have been especially encountered in the first and second transect
and humid characteristic plants are in the stream.
Research area is quite close to setting areas in which antropojen effect is intense. In river and first
terrace (flat-terrace) areas are used as a meadow land. Oleaster ( Elaeagnus angustifolia), Tamarix
smyrnensis, willow (S alix alba, S. amplexicaulis), poplar (P opulus alba) together with herbal species that
are humid and salty characteristic spread in this regions. Over-grass has caused a destruction to the
vegetation. 2-3and 4.terraces in right sides of river are used as a orchard and cültivated area throughout the
research region. There is only an orchard in the second terrace of the first transect that is taken from the
lowest point of the watershed. There is an orchard in the 2. and 3. terrace of third transect that is taken
from the upward watershed (Figure 1). Being less salty as going upward the watershed provides
production of fruit and vegetable.
CONCLUSION
Soil properties data of these both sides of Acıçay River soils indicated significant differences each
other in terms of leaching processes which have been shaped by landscape position and parent material. In
addition, the relationships between chemical properties of the soils and landscape positions determined by
this research affect plant growth. Study of the variations in soil properties is important for soil
management and selection that plant species. Therefore, in this study it is explained that parent material,
salt, EC and pH and field slope factors affect plant variability through by how nutrients are retained. In
88
addition, Gerrard (1981) also indicated that the movement and distribution of salt on slopes and floodplain
is one of the primary reasons for plant variability. While plant variability at lower slope positions is worse
due to high salt and gypsium. Nutrient elements transported from upper slope by overland erosion and
subsurface flow to floodplain.
As a result of the research, it is understood that surfacel water carries the salt that can be dissolved
by melting them to the accumulation subwatershed. On the other hand soil water under the great
temperature has vapoured and rised to the surface together with capilarity and while rising up, it has
carried salts along with.
Choice of species becomes important in arid and semi arid region’s agricultural areas and
afforestation pratices. The amaount of pH, salinity and lime of the soil should be taken into account. The
amount of salt is higher in the first terrace (alluvial deposits) of the both sides of the stream in the research
area. Therefore species that are resistant to salt should be supported in these regions. Growth of crops that
are resistant to salt in the agricultural activities will incerease the output. The first terraces are directly
used as a meadow land. As from the second terraces arid-watery agriculture and orchards have come into
being. Salt is transmitted into the depths by irrigating abundantly with the water from the stream. In this
way the chance of lifetime of the plant is increased.Meadow lands have been destructed as a result of over
and faulty pasturage .Meadow improvement measures should be taken and also supported in these regions.
Species that are resistant to salt should be prefered in afforestation practices and young plants should be
supported with additional soils.
90
Table 4. Floristic list of various parent materials, slopes and terrace along the transect of both sides of the Acıçay
stream
Rigt side
Left side
Terrace No
Plant Family
Genus
4
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
Heracleum platytaenium
Apiaceae
Bupleurum falcatum subsp.
cernuum
Achillea millefolium
A. wilhelmsii
X
X
X X
Anthemis tinctoria
X
A. sintenisii
X
X
X
Artemisia absinthium*
X
X
A. santonicum
Carduus nutans
Centaurea urvillei
X
C. solstitialis
X
C. virgata
X
C. depressa
X
X
X
C. drabifolia subsp . detonsa
X
X
C. carduiformis
Cirsium vulgare
X
X
C. hypoleucum
C. arvense
C. elodes
Crepis macropus
X
Asteraceae
Crupina crupinastrum
X
X
91
Echinops orientalis
X
Inula aucherana*
Koelpinia linearis*
X
Senecio vernalis
X
Alkanna orientalis
X
X X
Echium italicum
Onosma briquetii
Boraginaceaea
Onosma tauricum subsp .
brevifolium
X
X
Alyssum pateri
X
X
Brassica elongata
Cardaria draba
Crambe orientalis
Brassicaceae
Lepidium campestre
Minuartia anatolica var .
arachnoidea
X
X
Silene cappadocica
Caryophyllaceae
Spergularia rubra
X
Atriplex laevis
A. lasiantha
A. rosea
X
Chenopodium botyrs
X
Chenopodiaceae*
C. foliosum
Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus arvensis
X
X
Bolboschoenus maritimus
X
X
Eleocharis palustris
X
X
Cyperaceae
Scirpoides holoschoenus
X
X
Scabiosa rotata
X
X
Dipsaceae
S. argentea
X
X
Euphorbia macroclada
X
X
E. orientalis
X
Euphorbiaceae
E. myrsinites
Astragalus plumosus
X
A. lineatus
X
A. macrocephalus
X
X
A. elongatus
A. lycius
Dorycnium graecum
Genista sessilifolia
Lotus corniculatus
X
X X
Medicago falcata
X
Melilotus alba
M. officinalis
X
Onobrychis armena
Fabaceaea
Vicia cracca
Frankeniaceae
Frankenia hirsuta*
Geraniaceae
Erodium hoefftianum
Hypericum lydium
X
H. linarioides
X
Hypericaceae
H. perforatum
92
Table 4 continue
Juncus inflexus
Juncaceae
J. orticulatus
X
Ajuga chamaepitys
X
Marrubium parviflorum
subsp. parviflorum
X
Mentha pulegium
X
Nepeta nuda
X
X
Salvia cryptantha
S. syriaca
S. forskahlei
Sideritis montana
X
X
Phlomis pungens
X
Thymus leucostamus
X
X
X
T. praceox subsp . jankae
var. jankae
Labiatae
Ziziphora persica
Allium atroviolaceum
X
X
A. jubatum
Liliaceae
Ornithogalum narbonense
Papaveraceae
Papaver dubium
X
X
Plantago maritima
X
X
Plantaginaceae
P. lanceolata
X
Plumbaginaceae Limonium gmelinii
Primulaceae
Anagallis arvensis
Aegilops triuncialis subsp .
triuncialis
X
X
Avena barbata
X
Bothriochloa ischaemum
X
Bromus tectorum
X
B. arvensis
Calamagrostis epigejos
X
X
Hordeum geniculatum
H. bulbosum
Poaceae
Stipa arabica
Adonis aestivalis
X
A. flammae
Consolida orientalis
X
Ranunculaceae
C. regalis
X
Galium aparine
X
X
X
Rubiaceae
G. verum
Scrophulariaceae
Verbascum
cheiranthifolium var .
asperulum
Myricaria germanica
X
X
Tamaricaceae
Tamarix smyrnensis
X
*Halophytic plant
: 1. transect, X: 2. transect, : 3. transect
Terrace no; 0: in river (water course), 1: flat-terrace (alluvial deposits), 2: flat-terrace (alluvial-collivial deposits),
3: backslope, 4: shoulder
93
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