Effect of global warming on soil salinity of the arid regions

Abstract

On the basis of comparison of the current climate and soil salinity of the subboreal deserts of Central Asia (the Turan Lowland and the Gobi desert), we have identified that different climate conditions of these regions determine specific features of salinization of the majority of hydromorphic soils. The spread and the salinization rate of automorphic desert soils are determined, primarily, by the presence of salt-bearing rocks dating back to the previous periods of landscape development and do not have any direct relation to the modern aridity. This fact allows us to argue that global warming will not contribute to rapid salt accumulation in the automorphic soils of arid regions, except for the regions exposed to eolian salt accumulation. Under hydromorphic conditions, aridization of the climate will lead to a higher rate of soil salinization.