Fluctuation of the Groundwater Level, and Its Consequences in the Soil-Parent Material-Groundwater System of a Sodic Grassland

Abstract

Our data verified the relationship between meteorological factors and the fluctuation of the groundwater level. The rate of evaporation dominantly affected the rise and depth of the groundwater level. It is characteristic for the study site that there is an inverse relationship between the elevation of the groundwater observation wells and the depth of groundwater, and the difference between the levels of groundwater in the separate wells reflected the differences in the elevation between the wells. Our observations refuted our previous assumptions, as in the wells not only the concentration of salts changed but also the chemical type of the water. This can be attributed with great probability to the lateral flow of the groundwater, which is caused by the vertical fluctuation, but can be caused by other geological factors as well. We reached the conclusion that the vertical and sometimes lateral movement of the groundwater affects the development of soils in a given area. It means that the reason behind the mosaic-like appearance of the soil cover of a given area can be searched in the local differences of the chemical composition of the groundwater, which is a major factor of the spatial variability of the salt accumulation of soils. The observations and analytical results point to that the soils of the study site have developed under the effect of fluctuating groundwater and the elevation is a dominant factor of the spatial variability of the soil salt accumulation. The level of groundwater, the flow of groundwater and its composition show relationship with the surface elevation, and their effect is modified by the geological stratification, which results in a variable appearance of soil salt accumulation and native vegetation.