The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

S.A. Balyuk, V.B. Solovei, M.A. Solokha and S.P. Truskavetsky (Ukraine)
The study and mapping of  alkaline and saline soils can be particularly complex. The distribution 
of   salt-affected  soils  is  reflected  by  variations  in  the  groundwater  table  and  mineralization  in 
combination with the influence of  microtopography. The spatial heterogeneity of  alkaline and 
saline soils can be seen by tonal contrasts in images over open surfaces (due to variations in the 
humus  content  and  the  presence  of   siliceous  powdering  and  salt  efflorescences)  and  also  over 
vegetated surfaces (due to plant growth suppression by soil salinity and alkalinity and differences 
in  sensitivity  of   native  and  cultural  crops  to  moisture  levels  associated  with  fluctuations  in  the 
groundwater table). This serves as a basis for the wide application of  remote sensing in combination 
with traditional ground surveys in the study and mapping of  saline and alkaline soils [6, 8].
The use of  space-borne Multispectral Imaging (MSI) followed by digital image processing and 
classification is a highly efficient modern technique for mapping saline and alkaline soils.
The study of  alkaline and saline soils involves three stages – preparation, field work and laboratory 
research.
The