Which risk increased when ancient Mesopotamian irrigation systems delivered water with high dissolved salt content?

💡 Explanation

When irrigation water contains high salt concentrations, capillary action deposits these salts on the soil surface as water evaporates, causing soil salinization due to high evapotranspiration because salts are more chemically attracted to the soil. Therefore reduced crop yields result, rather than algal blooms, clay compaction, or disease transmission, which require alternative conditions.

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