Salt damage is an abiotic agent, or non-living agent. Salt damage when plowed up from the streets and passing vehicles spray the surrounding plants. Besides being a corrosive (not good for automobiles, definitely not good for plant life) it also absorbs the water needed by roots and creates a conditions that are like that of a drought. The damaging chloride ions are then transported to the leaves and accumulate to toxic levels causing the marginal leaf scorch.
