Within Avicennia we observed a higher degree of branching in the spatial structure of the transport system in trees growing in ecological conditions that are more demanding for the water transport, i.e. higher salt concentrations in the soil water (mean soil water salinity and soil water salinity range) and low inundation frequency [3], [39] (Fig. 2b and Table 2).
Salinity and nutrient concentrations of soil samples collected from 4 randomly chosen sites within the common garden on 20 October, 2009 were analyzed as in experiment 1. Mean total soil salinities in the 0-20-cm soil layers were 1.61 ± 0.11% (276 ± 19 mmol L-1 NaCl).
A shortcoming inherent to destructive soil sampling is its potential for biasing effects on long-term monitoring of soil salinity by means of GPS or other means of accurate localization and relocalization of soil sampling, the herein called "localization paradox", rarely treated in scientific papers.
In this study a mathematical model that describes the water movement and mass transport of individual ions (Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+) and overall soil salinity by means of the soil solution electrical conductivity, is used.
Lipid-extracted algae application may be one means of increasing OC; however, problems with excess soil salinity, sodicity, and nitrate-N may occur at high (3.0% or greater) addition rates.
Soil salinity was monitored during the experiment by means of soil samples (collected in all plots, three times during the experiment) and by sampling pore water (measured every 2 weeks).
Seasonal variations in the K+/Na+ ratios were not significant in S. fruticosa and I. crithmoides nor in the other three taxa in most cases, although the mean K+/Na+ values in P. crassifolia showed a rough negative correlation with changes in soil salinity (EC1 1 values), as they were highest in spring and lowest in summer (Fig. 2D).
The forest stand age also showed a statistically significant relationship with the differences of soil salinity between forested and control stands (Fig. 8), which means that older forests accumulate more salt in the soil.
Directed soil sampling based on geospatial measurements of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) is a potential means of characterizing the spatial variability of any soil property that influences ECa including soil salinity, water content, texture, bulk density, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity.
