Response of salt accumulation in soil to groundwater changes at the oasis in the lower reaches of Sangong River, Xinjiang
新疆三工河流域尾闾绿洲地下水变化与土壤积盐的响应

The current study is focused on the relationship between groundwater and the soil salt accumulation in inland river basins, which is important in understanding the interaction between the rising groundwater table and soil salt accumulation, preserving water resources and preventing soil salinization. Based on the groundwater table charts of 1985, 2000 and 2005, the water resources data from 1983 to 2005, as well as data of total soil salt at 0-20cm and the data of land use for the same period, with geo-statistics and GIS methods, analysis was done on the temporal-spatial changes in regional landscape and soil salt accumulation, as well as the relationship between the level of groundwater table and salt accumulation in the soil. The results revealed that importing of water to this region for irrigation was the main cause that resulted in the rising of groundwater table. Groundwater table rose at 0.09m per year for the last 23 years. And with 1m increase in groundwater table, the area of soil salt accumulation expanded 144.45hm2. In the irrigated landscape, the groundwater table had more significant effect on the expansion of soil salt accumulation area than that in non-irrigated landscapes. The rate of soil salt accumulation in the cropland was 0.43t hm-2 per year from 1983 to 2005; with salt content increased 40.04% during this period, which was the fastest among irrigated landscapes. While among the non-irrigated landscape, the most significant salt accumulation in soil occurred in Saline alkali land, with a rate of 0.68t hm2 per year.