Soil properties affecting erosion induced by saltating particles

Abstract

Erosion and abrasion induced by wind forces and windborne particles yield serious problems in drylands. Two factors affecting soil erodibility are aggregate size distribution and aggregate stability, which are influenced by soil physico-chemical properties; then, knowledge of surface soil properties helps obtain the best estimates of soil loss due to wind erosion. This study was aimed at examining the effects of the physico-chemical and strength properties of 19 soil samples, mostly silty soils taken from some dust sources in China, on their erosion rate induced by the impacts of windborne abrader particles by employing a wind tunnel. The results showed that among soil properties, soil strength characteristics obtained from the penetrometer and bending strength tests have the strongest correlation with erosion rate (a power function with R > 0.92 and P < 0.05); higher strength parameters resulted in lower erosion rates. Moreover, the fine content (particles with diameter < 75 μm) and mean weight diameter of the soils were the other parameters affecting erosion rate significantly.