Tóth, T., and G. Szendrei. 2006. Relationship between salt efflorescences and 
environmental conditions with special emphasis on edaphological conditions. 
Topographia Mineralogica Hungariae. IX. 79-90.


We summarise the relationship between the climatic and edaphologic factors and the salt 
efflorescences based on our soil profiles studied and the categories of the „AGROTOPO" 
database corresponding to the visited sites of field survey. The most important factor of 
the occurrence of salt efflorescences on soil surface is the salt accumulation close to the 
soil surface. The prediction of salt efflorescences in complex elevational patterns is 
facilitated by the application of our conceptional model. Compared to the earlier reports, 
we found salt efflorescences not only on Solonchak soils, but also on a somewhat leached 
soil type (Crusty) Solonetzes also. In those cases where soil profile was opened, the depth 
to groundwater varied between 80 and 250 cm.
There was a correlation between the dominant anion of the salt efflorescences and the 
depth of groundwater: paralel to increasing maximum solubility the average depth of 
groundwater was increasing. Data support the hypothesis that on more sandy areas the 
chances of the precipitation of carbonate minerals increase. In the more clayey areas the 
movement of water is much slower and there is small chance for the low soluble alkaline 
solutes, which further decrease water conductivity, to rise close to the surface.
We evaluated the categories of AGROTOPO database at 25 sites where salt 
efflorescences were found. At these sites further information was provided by the field 
bulk electrical conductivity measurements (on average ECa was 4.8 dS/cm) and vegetaton 
characterizations (most of the salt efflorescences occurred in Camphorosmetum annuae 
and Puccinellietum limosae plant associations).