The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

within a mapping unit [15].
Degrees of  soil salinization
Image pattern*
Component
Absent or low
Medium
High
Very high
Soil salinization within a component
Uniform dark
dark
93
7
-
-
Non-saline, rarely moderately saline
With small mottles
dark 
83
17
-
-
Mostly weakly saline, rarely 
moderately saline
light 
33
67
-
-
Moderately and weakly saline
With medium mottles
dark
86
14
-
Mostly moderately, rarely strongly 
saline
light
7
66
27
Stronly and very strongly saline, 
rarely moderately saline
With large mottles
dark
67
33
-
Moderately and strongly saline
light
50
50
Strongly and very strongly saline
Uniform light
17
83
Very strongly saline, rarely strongly 
saline
* Light – cotton crop is in poor condition; dark – cotton crop is in good condition.
The 
largest scale of  monitoring corresponds to the evaluation and control of  soil condition 
throughout Central Asia, i.e., in all countries of  this region. Irrigated areas of  the region are 
concentrated within the basins of  two large rivers: Amu Darya and Syr Darya. The water 
regimes, the total concentration (mineralization) and the composition of  salts present in these 
rivers have significantly changed over recent decades and methods and agrotechnical measures 
of  soil amelioration developed in the middle of  the last century are now out of  date. It is clear 
that such shortcomings are having a negative impact on agricultural productivity within Central 
Asia and these require updating. An overall re-assessment of  the agricultural state of  soils and the 
development of  new regional amelioration policies are required.
Monitoring at the 
regional scale involves the analysis of  regional lithological and geomorphological 
characteristics that predetermine specific measures of  soil amelioration, the types of  irrigation and 
drainage systems, etc. It is also important to take into account the demographic situation within 
the region.
Monitoring at the 
local scale is conducted within local farms, fields or groups of  fields. Human 
impact represents the main factor of  change in the agricultural state of  these sites, with soil 
amelioration and landscape transformation conditions being the most dynamic parameters 
of  such change. Clearly, the regional dynamics of  soil quality are slower than local changes 
occurring within separate fields, which is reflected in differences in methodological approaches to 
salinization assessment at different scales. Local-scale monitoring involves the annual evaluation 
of  the agricultural state of  soils followed by a rapid decision making process in cases of  drastic 
deterioration of  the soil quality.
At larger scales of  monitoring, less frequent observations are required, however, with a more 
complex analysis of  factors and mechanisms of  salinization dynamics. Such research should rely 
on the latest science and technological developments including remote sensing data and new data 
processing techniques. The soil monitoring system should be developed with the ideological and 
financial support of  the state and the international community.

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23
Chapter 2.Methods of studying, mapping and monitoring saline and alkaline soils