regions, when the water reaches the B horizon, capillary
action and plant roots then draw it back up toward the
surface, where it evaporates or is incorporated into plant
tissue. After the water escapes, many of its dissolved
ions precipitate in the B horizon, encrusting the soil with
salts. A soil of this type is a pedocal (Fig. 6–17a). This
process often deposits enough calcium carbonate to form
a hard cement called caliche in the soil. In the Imperial
Valley in California, for example, irrigation water contains
high concentrations of calcium carbonate. A thick
continuous layer of caliche forms in the soil as the water
evaporates. To continue growing crops, farmers must
then rip this layer apart with heavy machinery.
Because nutrients concentrate when water evaporates,
many pedocals are fertile if irrigation water is
available. However, salts often concentrate so much that
they become toxic to plants (Fig. 6–18). As mentioned
previously, all streams contain small concentrations of
dissolved salts. If arid or semiarid soils are intensively irrigated,
salts can accumulate until plants cannot grow.
This process is called salinization. Some historians argue
that salinization destroyed croplands and thereby
contributed to the decline of many ancient civilizations,
such as the Babylonian Empire.
regions, when the water reaches the B horizon, capillaryaction and plant roots then draw it back up toward thesurface, where it evaporates or is incorporated into planttissue. After the water escapes, many of its dissolvedions precipitate in the B horizon, encrusting the soil withsalts. A soil of this type is a pedocal (Fig. 6–17a). Thisprocess often deposits enough calcium carbonate to forma hard cement called caliche in the soil. In the ImperialValley in California, for example, irrigation water containshigh concentrations of calcium carbonate. A thickcontinuous layer of caliche forms in the soil as the waterevaporates. To continue growing crops, farmers mustthen rip this layer apart with heavy machinery.Because nutrients concentrate when water evaporates,many pedocals are fertile if irrigation water isavailable. However, salts often concentrate so much thatthey become toxic to plants (Fig. 6–18). As mentionedpreviously, all streams contain small concentrations ofdissolved salts. If arid or semiarid soils are intensively irrigated,salts can accumulate until plants cannot grow.This process is called salinization. Some historians arguethat salinization destroyed croplands and therebycontributed to the decline of many ancient civilizations,such as the Babylonian Empire.
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