Feasibility of microbially induced carbonate precipitation and straw checkerboard barriers on desertification control and ecological restoration

Abstract

Straw checkerboard barrier (SCB) technology plays a predominant role in desertification control and is proven to be the most effective method currently in practice. Yet it has several minor drawbacks; for example, it cannot suppress floating sands, nor hold large amounts of water, and it cannot fix the vegetation in place to ensure it has adequate lodging resistance. In recent years, microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology has emerged as a research hotspot in desertification control. Here, we reasoned that combining SCB and MICP technologies could enhance desertification control, thereby increasing its overall efficacy. To investigate this approach, we collected data on SCB technology from a field investigation and through a literature search, and collected data on MICP technology via literature search and by conducting laboratory and field experiments. Sixteen key factors for desertification control are summarized, and their parameters and effectiveness are analyzed in detail. Taken together, our results show that MICP technology can effectively rectify the shortcomings of SCB technology, so combining both technologies for mitigating desertification should have promising outcomes, by accelerating the process of sand fixation, vegetation restoration, and ecological restoration. The prospects of applying SCB and MICP techniques jointly for desertification control are exciting, as they are both theoretically compatible and complementary to each other.