Influence of salt content on enzymatic activities and halophytes distribution in Cojocna zone, Romania

Abstract

SUMMARY. Salty soil samples from three zones of Cojocna (Cluj county, Romania) have been investigated physico-chemically and enzymologically. Rizosphere of some halophytes were investigated in order to assess saline stress on bacterial enzyme activities and halophytes adaptation mechanisms to enhanced salt content. Several physico-chemical parameters of salty soil were determinated: pH, conductivity and different mineral ion contents. Changeful bacterial enzymatic activities and mineral ion composition were detected according to soil salt content. Reduced values of all enzymatic activities were detected. Based on the studied enzyme activities the enzymatic indicators of soil quality (EISQ) were calculated. The EISQ values were low, between EISQ = 0.201 and 0.236. In the sudied salty area, only a few halophyte species were observed and identified, the most common are: Salicornia herbacea, Puccinellia distans, Artemisia santonica, Limonium gmelinii and Salsola soda. All three salty zones were classified as sodic and saline-sodic soils.