Summary
This study enhanced Portugal's INFOSOLO soil information system by integrating legacy salinization and sodification data spanning 1979–2020, using geostatistical modelling to generate national-scale soil maps. Although the resulting maps effectively identified significant salt-affected hotspots and temporal trends, they underestimated the true extent of highly saline and sodic areas. The authors propose a targeted monitoring framework for salt-affected soils in Portugal's most sensitive regions, particularly in response to intensifying agricultural demands and increasing water scarcity under climate change.
UK applicability
The methodological framework for integrating legacy soil data and geostatistical mapping could inform UK soil monitoring systems, particularly given increasing salinity concerns in lowland and coastal agricultural areas. However, Portugal's semi-arid climate and specific sodicity patterns differ from UK conditions, requiring adaptation of monitoring priorities and thresholds.
Key measures
Electrical conductivity from soil saturation paste extracts (topsoil, 2015–2018); exchangeable sodium percentage across multiple soil layers; geostatistical stochastic sequential simulation for spatial mapping
Outcomes reported
The study generated national-scale soil maps identifying spatial and temporal distribution of salt-affected areas across Portugal from 1979 to 2020, capturing significant salinization and sodification trends and hotspots. Maps revealed both natural and human-induced salt-affected areas, though did not fully represent the extent of highly saline and sodic areas.
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