Tool 5.1 Indicators of saline land

Salinity rating  

Indicator species  

Other indicators 

Low 

ECe 2-4 dS/m 

Wimmera ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) 
Water buttons (Cotula coronopifolia) 
Windmill grass (Chloris truncata) 
Wallaby grass (Danthonia eriantha) 
Spiny rush (Juncus acutus) 

Sea barley grass (Hordeum marinum) 
Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon) 

Generally no bare areas. 

There is a gradual change in pasture composition with decreased vegetation diversity and reduced growth of sub or white clover.  

Moderate 

4-8 dS/m 

Water buttons  

Sea barley grass 
Couch grass 
Windmill grass 
Spiny rush 

Buckshorn plantain (Plantago cornopus) leaves become dark red with salt stress 

Creeping brookweed (Samolus repens) 
Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) 
Australian salt grass (Distichlis distichiphylla) 
Annual beard grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) 

Small areas of bare ground up to 1 m2. 

White crystals may appear on the bare soil when the soil is dry at the upper salinity range. 

Soil surface is waterlogged or permanently moist. 

Animal graze and lick salty areas.  

Virtually no legumes are present, strawberry clover may grow but vigour is reduced. 

Dominance by salt-tolerant species. 

High 

8 to 16 dS/m 

Samphire (Tecticornia pergranulata)  
Sea blite (Suaeda australis)  

Puccinellia ciliata 

 
Trees will be dying 

Large areas of bare ground with salt crusts. 

Bare ground may be covered with dark organic stain, or with white salt crust. 

Halophytes are common. 

Salt tolerant species (e.g., sea barley grass) may dominate large areas and only salt tolerant plants remain unaffected. 

Severe  

ECe > 16 dS/m 

Samphire (Tecticornia pergranulata) 

Puccinellia ciliata  

Trees will be dead 
 

Extensive bare areas have salt stains and/or crystals evident.  

Topsoil may be flowery or puffy, with some plants surviving on small pedestals.  

Subsoil can become exposed. 

Only halophytes and highly salt tolerant plants survive but they have decreased growth & some will die.