EDAFOLOGÍA, VOL 13. (3), PP 171-179 2006
SALINIDAD Y ALCALINIDAD EN SUELOS DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS DE TENERIFE (ISLAS CANARIAS)
C.D. ARBELO, J.L. MORA, A. RODRÍGUEZ RODRÍGUEZ, J.A.
GUERRA y C.M. ARMAS
Dpto. Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Biología,Universidad de La Laguna,
Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38204, La Laguna, Tenerife (Islas
Canarias) antororo@ull.es
Salin-sodic soils in the low-lying areas of the Canary Islands have limited productivity. This work is intended to further knowledge of the origin and nature of the salinity-sodicity that affects the soils quality in an arid zone of the Tenerife Island. The surface horizon of non-cultivated soils was sampled, and properties related to the saline-sodic state of the soils were analysed and their relationship with diverse environmental factors: proximity to the sea, altitude, topographic position, past land use, geological forma- tions were recorded. The results show that salinity-sodicity is related to sea-born salts, and sodicity-alkali- nity derived from the presence of phonolitic ash (pumice) as the material of origin (only when salinity is low). Salinity-sodicity appears to have influenced by the abandonment of the farmland by cultivation. Sodic-al- kaline soils have also low-fertility problem.
Key words: Salinity, sodicity, alkalinity, abandoned farmland, Canary Islands