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The salinity of water in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its impact on plant growth, water acidity, and conductivity

Organization(s):The first Arqah Secondary school Al-riyadh
Country:Saudi Arabia
Student(s):Dana Tala Al-Zarqi
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
GLOBE Teacher:Nourah Fahaad AL- Subaie
Contributors:Dr. Ebrahem Saleh, king Saud university, Riyadh ‏Ms. Najlaa Abdel-Aziz Al-Thumairi, Master of Information Technology ‏Ms. Nada AL-Habib, Supervisor and researcher in the Globe program
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Alkalinity, Conductivity, pH, Salinity, Water Temperature, Water Transparency, Soil Characterization, Soil pH, Soil Temperature
Presentation Video: View Video
Presentation Poster: View Document
Optional Badges:I am a Collaborator, I am an Engineer
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:03/08/2021
This study aimed at exposing the extent of the impact in the water salinity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the electrical conductivity and acidity as well as the impact on plant growth. This research is limited to observing the effect of water salinity on plant growth in Arqah Secondary School, Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over three months starting from December 2020 towards February 2021 at the same time every day. This study has been dependent on an experimental approach, by measuring the protocol of water salinity, acidity, and electrical conductivity as well as exposing the impact of salty water on plant growth. It has been found in this study that the increase in salinity in the water of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is inversely proportional to the acidity of the water, remarking that the water reaches a state of saturation due to the constant pH value. Moreover, the increase in salinity leads to the stability of the conductivity in water. However, the relationship between the water salinity added to the soil and the degree of plant germination is an inverse relationship. Thus, the more salinity in the water, the lower the plant growth rate since the high concentrations of salt harms plants. Finally, the present study recommends major studies and research on the effectiveness of using pottery during plant irrigation in reducing salinity and its impact on plant growth.


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Comments

3 Comments
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Tania Dey (inactive)
3 Years Ago

Thank you for demonstrating how the salinity of water affects conductivity, acidity, and plant growth! That is quite an undertaking to investigate all of those variables. My questions are:

1. You concluded that salinity and plant growth have an inverse relationship. By plant growth, do you think that plant growth rate or total plant growth is negatively affected by increased salinity?

2. How would the type of plant studied change the findings of your experiment? Would it change your conclusions at all?

Good work!! 

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Tania Dey (inactive) Tania Dey
3 Years Ago

- Hayley Pippin

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Nourah Fahaad AL- Subaie Tania Dey
3 Years Ago

Thank you:)

Yes .. and this is what the study proved

 When you compare the growth of the same plant with the same soil and surrounding conditions, but in different water, one is salty and the other is tap water

 The impact of saltwater negatively and significantly on plant growth

 I also think that it will affect other types of plants in the same way, given that the area around the well from which the brine was brought was an arid area lacking the presence of plants.