Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach

I N Daliakopoulos,G Schwilch,I S Panagea,I K Tsanis

doi:10.5194/se-7-177-2016

I N Daliakopoulos, G Schwilch + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-177-2016

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Journal: Solid Earth	Publication Date: Feb 3, 2016
Citations: 59	License type: CC BY 3.0

Affiliation: University of Bern

Abstract

Abstract. Soil salinity management can be complex, expensive, and time demanding, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Besides taking no action, possible management strategies include amelioration and adaptation measures. Here we apply the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) framework for the systematic analysis and evaluation and selection of soil salinisation amelioration technologies in close collaboration with stakeholders. The participatory approach is applied in the RECARE (Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care) project case study of Timpaki, a semi-arid region in south-central Crete (Greece) where the main land use is horticulture in greenhouses irrigated by groundwater. Excessive groundwater abstractions have resulted in a drop of the groundwater level in the coastal part of the aquifer, thus leading to seawater intrusion and in turn to soil salinisation. The documented technologies are evaluated for their impacts on ecosystem services, cost, and input requirements using a participatory approach and field evaluations. Results show that technologies which promote maintaining existing crop types while enhancing productivity and decreasing soil salinity are preferred by the stakeholders. The evaluation concludes that rainwater harvesting is the optimal solution for direct soil salinity mitigation, as it addresses a wider range of ecosystem and human well-being benefits. Nevertheless, this merit is offset by poor financial motivation making agronomic measures more attractive to users.

Highlights

Soil, as a control on the biogeochemical and hydrological cycles of the Earth system and a provider of vital goods and services to sustain life, is one of our most important natural resources (Berendse et al, 2015; Brevik et al, 2015; Keesstra et al, 2012)
The variety and multidisciplinarity of the stakeholders participating in the workshop allowed for an in-depth discussion on the three most promising technologies proposed by stakeholders and a comparative analysis driven by the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) QT process
WOCAT effectively documented Sustainable land management (SLM) technology strengths and weaknesses according to expert and stakeholder opinion, along with proposed steps for sustaining and enhancing merits or mitigating inefficiencies

Summary

Introduction

As a control on the biogeochemical and hydrological cycles of the Earth system and a provider of vital goods and services to sustain life, is one of our most important natural resources (Berendse et al, 2015; Brevik et al, 2015; Keesstra et al, 2012). High levels of soil salt accumulation can impact agricultural production, environmental health, and economic welfare (Rengasamy, 2006). Salinisation is often linked to arid irrigated lands where prevailing low rainfall, high evapotranspiration rates and soil characteristics impede soil leaching, causing salt to accumulate in the upper layers (Chesworth, 2008; Maas et al, 1999; MateoSagasta and Burke, 2011). While moderate problems are reported even when irrigating with water of sufficient quality, constant or increasing soil salinity is caused by the use of highly saline irrigation water such as groundwater suffering from seawater intrusion (Dubois et al, 2011; Geeson et al, 2003; Mateo-Sagasta and Burke, 2011; Tóth and Li, 2013; van Camp et al, 2004)

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