Spatiotemporal Variation in Wind Erosion in Tarim River Basin from 2010 to 2018

Abstract

The Tarim River Basin, China’s largest inland river basin, is renowned for its ecological fragility characterized by concurrent greening and desertification processes. Soil wind erosion emerges as a critical factor impacting the natural ecosystem of this region. This study employs a soil wind erosion model tailored to cultivated land, grassland, and desert terrains to analyze the multitemporal characteristics of and spatial variations in soil wind erosion across nine subbasins within the Tarim River Basin, utilizing observed data from 2010, 2015, and 2018. Additionally, this study investigates the influence of various factors, particularly wind speed, on the soil wind erosion dynamics. Following established standards of soil erosion classification, the intensity levels of soil erosion are assessed for each calculation grid within the study area alongside an analysis of the environmental factors influencing soil erosion. Findings indicate that approximately 38.79% of the total study area experiences soil wind erosion, with the Qarqan River Basin exhibiting the highest erosion modulus and the Aksu River Basin registering the lowest. Light and moderate erosion predominates in the Tarim River Basin, with an overall decreasing trend observed over the study period. Notably, the Qiemo River Basin, Dina River Basin, and Kaidu Kongque River Basin display relatively higher proportions of eroded area compared to their total subbasin area. Furthermore, this study underscores the substantial influence of the annual average wind speed on soil erosion within the study area, advocating for prioritizing soil and water conservation programs, particularly in the downstream regions of the Tarim River Basin, to mitigate future environmental degradation.