Five state factors control progressive stages of freshwater salinization syndrome

Factors driving freshwater salinization syndrome (FSS) influence the severity of impacts and chances for recovery. We hypothesize that spread FSS across ecosystems is a function interactions among five state factors: human activities, geology, flowpaths, climate, time. (1) Human activities drive pulsed or chronic inputs salt ions mobilization chemical contaminants. (2) Geology drives rates erosion, weathering, ion exchange, acidification-alkalinization. (3) Flowpaths contaminant along hydrologic cycles. (4) Climate rising water temperatures, stress, evaporative concentration saltwater intrusion. (5) Time influences consequences, thresholds, potentials ecosystem factors advance in distinct stages, which eventually contribute to failures systems-level functions (supporting drinking water, crops, biodiversity, infrastructure, etc.). present future research directions protecting freshwaters at risk based on stages from diagnosis prognosis cure.