Soils of irrigated lands in the Aral Sea Basin are often plagued by high salinity,hampering profitable agriculture on these soils. In this context, the present study has three specific objectives: to identify techniques that enable a rapid estimation of soil salinity, to characterize its spatial distribution and to estimate its spatial distribution based on readily obtainable environmental parametersusing a Neural Network Model Approach. Topsoil salinity was highly variable atshort distances and terrain attributes were the most influential factors. The use of relationships between environmental attributes and soil salinity for upscaling spatial distribution of soil salinity from farm to district level proved to be satisfactory. A possible application is the development of salinity prediction toolsfor farm-level decision making.

The spatial distribution of soil salinity: Detection and prediction. Soils of irrigated lands in the Aral Sea Basin are often plagued by high salinity, hampering profitable agriculture on these soils. In this context, the present study has three specific objectives: to identify techniques that enable a rapid estimation of soil salinity, to characterize its spatial distribution and to estimate its spatial distribution based on readily obtainable environmental parameters using a Neural Network Model Approach. Topsoil salinity was highly variable at short distances and terrain attributes were the most influential factors. The use of relationships between environmental attributes and soil salinity for upscaling spatial distribution of soil salinity from farm to district level proved to be satisfactory. A possible application is the development of salinity prediction tools for farm-level decision making.

This open access book is an outcome of the collaboration between the Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, and Dr. Shabbir A Shahid, Senior Salinity Management Expert, Freelancer based in United Arab Emirates.The objective of this book is to develop protocols for salinity and sodicity assessment and develop mitigation and adaptation measures to use saline and sodic soils sustainably. The focus is on important issues related to salinity and sodicity and to describe these in an easy and user friendly way. The information has been compiled from the latest published literature and from the authors’ publications specific to the subject matter. The book consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the terms salinity and sodicity and describes various salinity classification systems commonly used around the world. Chapter 2 reviews global distribution of salinization and socioeconomic aspects related to salinity and crop production. Chapters 3 covers comprehensively salinity and sodicity adaptation and mitigation options including physical, chemical, hydrological and biological methods. Chapter 4 discusses the efforts that have been made to demonstrate the development of soil salinity zones under different irrigation systems. Chapter 5 discusses the quality of irrigation water, boron toxicity and relative tolerance to boron, the effects of chlorides on crops. Chapter 6 introduces the role of nuclear techniques in saline agriculture.

Signi?cant technological advances have been few and far between in the past approximately one hundred years of soil survey activities. Perhaps one of the most innovative techniques in the history of soil survey was the introduction of aerial photographs as base maps for ?eld mapping, which replaced the conventional base map laboriously prepared by planetable and alidade. Such a relatively simple idea by today’s standards revolutionized soil surveys by vastly increasing the accuracy and ef?ciently. Yet, even this innovative approach did not gain universal acceptance immediately and was hampered by a lack of aerial coverage of the world, funds to cover the costs, and in some cases a reluctance by some soil mappers and cartog- phers to change. Digital Soil Mapping (DSM), which is already being used and tested by groups of dedicated and innovative pedologists, is perhaps the next great advancement in delivering soil survey information. However, like many new technologies, it too has yet to gain universal acceptance and is hampered by ignorance on the part of some pedologists and other scientists. DSM is a spatial soil information system created by numerical models that - count for the spatial and temporal variations of soil properties based on soil - formation and related environmental variables (Lagacheric and McBratney, 2007).

The book of proceedings of the joint meeting of the International Network of Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS) and COST Action on the sustainable use of salt-affected lands (SUSTAIN) contains the abstracts of the oral and poster presentations presented during the workshop in Valencia, Spain (27-31 May, 2024). The presentations covered multiple topics related to the management, policy of salt-affected soils as well as crops adapted to these soils. These abstracts describe different approaches that provide insights to managing agriculture in saline conditions and ensuring food security for the world's growing population.

New technologies, such as improved testing and physical modeling methods, together with numerical studies and other novel techniques, have led to many developments in the fields of hydraulic and civil engineering in recent years. This book presents proceedings from HCET 2021, the 6th International Technical Conference on Frontiers of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering Technology, held in Sanya, China, on 28 and 29 August 2021. The conference highlighted the latest advances, innovations and applications in the fields of hydraulic and civil engineering, and served as a platform to promote and celebrate interdisciplinary study. The book contains 89 papers, selected from 178 contributions and divided into 4 sections: Modern Civil Engineering; Water and Hydraulic Engineering; Environment Engineering and Sciences; and Transdisciplinary Engineering and Technology. Topics covered involve both theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding, primarily in the areas of hydraulics and water resource engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering and sciences, transportation engineering, coastal and ocean engineering and transdisciplinary engineering and technology. The book, which presents a wealth of exciting ideas that will open novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among specialists in various fields, will be of interest to all academics, researchers, practitioners and policymakers seeking to understand and tackle civil and hydraulic engineering challenges by adopting appropriate, sustainable, solutions.

One third of the world's soils have already been degraded. The burden on the land continues to grow under the combined pressures of demography, urbanization, artificialization and mining, and there are increased demands on agricultural land: changing dietary preferences, land speculation, as well as new demands for agroenergy, fiber, green chemistry, and more. Resulting issues such as soil crusting, water and wind erosion, soil salinization and soil acidity therefore constitute a major threat. The authors of this book present the main processes and factors of soil degradation, different ways to prevent it and methods of rehabilitation. The book also deals with the origin and processes of metallic and organic soil pollution as well as methods of phytoremediation and restoration. It is one of the few books to explore the issue of soil artificialization and urban soil management and to highlight how agricultural and urban waste can be used to amend and fertilize cultivated soils.