The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

Part II. 
Tutorial examples, guidelines and 
exercises
Annex A. 
Classifications, assessment criteria and 
distribution of salt-affected soils
A1. Assessing the chemical properties of soil salinity
Table A.1. Soil salinity chemistry: the balance of anions (cmol(eq.)/kg)
Saline soils with neutral salts 
(Total alkalinity  
< Ca
2+
+Mg
2+
, pH<8,5)
Alkaline soils (Total alkalinity>CA
2+
+Mg
2+
, pH>8,5) 
Total alkalinity  
< 20% of  the ∑ of  anions
Total alkalinity > 20% of  the ∑ of  anions
Total alkalinity < 20% of  the ∑ of  anions
The chemical types of  salinity by the balance of  anions (mmol eq/100 g of  soil)
Chloride
Cl
-
/SO
4
2- 
> 2
Soda
Total alkalinity > Cl
-
 and > SO
4
2-
Chloride and sulphate- 
chloride with the 
participation of  soda
Total alkalinity < Cl
-
 
and < SO
4
2-
, Cl
-
 > SO
4
2-
 
Sulphate-
chloride
Cl
-
/SO
4
2- 
=1-2 Chloride-soda Total alkalinity > Cl
-
, SO
4
2-
 < 
20% of  the ∑ of  anions
Sulphate-
chloride
Cl
-
/SO
4
2- 
=0,5-1
Sulphate- 
soda
Total alkalinity > SO
4
2-
 , Cl
-
 < 
20% of  the ∑ of  anions
Sulphate and chloride- 
sulphate with the