Soil Cover and Wind Erosion

Abstract

ABSTRACT WIND erosion on agricultural lands can be reduced if the soil surface is protected with crop residues. In evaluating the influence of residues on wind erosion, previous research has expressed residues of various crops as an equivalent of flat, small grain. This becomes difficult as the density of the residue changes with weathering, or as crops other than the major cultivated crops are grown. Soil losses due to wind erosion were determined by covering various percentages of the soil surface with simulated flat residues (wood dowels 3.1 to 25.4 mm in diameter). Covering 20% of the soil surface reduced soil losses 57%, and a 50% cover reduced soil losses 95%. The expression SLR = 1.81 e-72% scdescribes the relationship between soil loss ratio (SLR) and percent soil cover (% SC) with a correlation coefficient of 0.94 (soil cover limits 8 to 80%). The cover can be any nonerodible material such as large clods, gravel, cotton gin trash, or any diameter stick between 3.1 and 25.4 mm. Percent soil cover is easily measured in the field or can be estimated with a minimum of training and experience.