Relationship between saline-alkali soil formation and neotectonic movement in Songnen Plain, China

In the Songnen Plain, China, salinization has become increasingly serious and desertification has increased rapidly since the middle of the twentieth century, restricting the economic growth of the area and threatening the environment. Many factors can cause the formation of saline-alkali soil, but none of them explain the origin of the substantial amount of soda that exists in the basin and its distribution pattern. This paper focuses attention on the relationship between the formation of saline-alkali soil and neotectonic movement, and the climate-tectonic cycle over the geological history of the region. Data interpreted by Thematic Mapper for two periods of time have been used to analyze changes in the saline-alkali soil. The results provide a useful tool for demonstrating the relationship between the saline-alkali soil and neotectonic movement, and for improving the technology and methods used to protect, manage, exploit and utilize the saline-alkali soil.