CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER FROM FIRST AQUIFER BENEATH HYDROMORPHIC SOILS IN THE VOJVODINA PROVINCE

Abstract

On the territory of the Vojvodina Province, the most common cause of soil salinization is the water in the first aquifer which is frequently saline and/or alkaline above the critical level. In this study, we analyzed water from the first aquifer sampled in locations classified as solonchaks in the soil map of Vojvodina (25 locations) and subsequently classified again into solonchak (5 locations), or reclassified into solonetz types of soil (9 locations) from the halomorphic order. The remaining eleven locations belonged to the soil types from the automorphic and hydromorphic order. Processes of desalinization and soil type change have occurred in these locations due to human activities (including the construction of drainage canals). But, based on salt or alkali levels above the critical and the quality of water in the first aquifer (especially high to very high sodium levels), it was concluded that there exists a serious risk of further continuous salinization and/or (especially) alkalization of the root zone of agricultural crops.