Using an integrated approach for mapping soil salinity risk in Tadla Plain, Morocco

Abstract

Salinization is form of soil degradation that is expanding dramatically and reveal increasingly worrying aspects. It contributes to the decline of agricultural production in most of the world's irrigated areas, especially those arid or semi-arid climate. This phenomenon results from the synergy effects of climate, bedrock, the aggressiveness of natural conditions and the anthropogenic activities. With this in mind, the present study focuses on the mapping of soil salinity risk in Tadla Plain. To achieve this objective, the approach of Soil Salinity Risk Index (SSRI) was adopted. The necessary variables to calculate SSRI were weighted and overlaid using GIS. This operation allowed to develop a soil salinity risk map of the study area. The use of SSRI-based approach reveals the occurrence of three risk classes: low, moderate and severe. The moderate risk class dominates with a coverage representing 76% of the total area. The results achieved showed the prospect of this approach to delineate areas of soils prone to salinization risk, so as to manage soil salinization and reduce its effects on agricultural production.