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Salinity – Pressures

Salinity – Pressures

Flow chart showing the major elements associated with conductivity management

Click on elements of the flow chart or select from the tabs below

Sources of ions to wetlands:

  • Ions enter wetlands from diffuse catchment (via local overland surface flow, in overbank flow or groundwater) or directly from point sources.
  • Mining activities (e.g. gas and oil extraction from underground), dryland salinity and sea level rise are all potential causes of a change to wetland conductivity.

 

Soluble salts are present in Australia's soils and are a remnant of geological history. Salts are also an integral part of the biochemistry of life in terrestrial and aquatic environments though for many freshwater aquatic animals exposure to high concentrations of salt can have toxic effects. Similarly, a lack of salt can also be detrimental to species in saline and estuarine environments. Impacts from salinity have been identified as one of Australia's most serious environmental issues. In areas already affected, salinity has devastated ecosystems resulting in massive loss of habitat, biodiversity, native vegetation and water resource value.[1]

Summary of factors contributing to the salinity variability of streams

Additional Information

All about salinity information sheet although developed in NSW contains information relevant throughout Australia


References

  1. ^ Land and Water Australia (2002), National river contaminants program: integrated management of nutrients, sediment and salt in Australian Rivers. Program Plan 2001/02 - 2004/05, Canberra.

Last updated: 22 March 2013

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Salinity – Pressures, WetlandInfo website, accessed 18 March 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/management/pressures/lacustrine-palustrine-threats/conductivity/pressure.html

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of Environment, Science and Innovation