Solonchaks

Solonchaks occur where saline groundwater comes near to the surface, or where through evapo(transpi)ration salts from the soil water accumulate in the soil, e.g. in desert regions.Chara

Characteristics

Soils having a salic horizon (horizon with accumulation of salts more soluble than gypsum) within 50 cm of the soil surface. They have no diagnostic horizons other than a histic, mollic, ochric, takyric, yermic, calcic, cambic, duric, gypsic or vertic horizon.

Solonchak with a crust of salt at shallow depth, China

(Petrosali-Sodic Solonchak (Nudiyermic and Sulphatic);

ISRIC reference soil CN 14, download PDF)