Effect of microrelief and water-table on vegetation dynamics in silty loam saline soils of coastal areas

Microrelief (MR) and water-table (WT) severely influence plant communities formation and development in silty loam saline soils of coastal areas. This research aimed to investigate the effect of MR and WT fluctuations on the dynamics of vegetation in coastal silty loam saline soils of southern Iran. Soil characteristics, vegetation structure and composition were investigated through the growing season, and obtained data were submitted to a canonical correspondence analysis. Based on the results, MR (min = 0.5 m and max = 1.0 m) and WT (max = 1 m) fluctuations significantly changed both structure and floristic composition through change in soil characteristics (Sig. < 0.05). Factors of soil moisture content, SAR and Na severely changed under MR and WT fluctuations and received new eigenvalues through the year. Our results demonstrated that a minimum change in MR and/or WT influence soil properties and vegetation structure and composition in silty loam saline soils of coastal areas.