Spatio-temporal variation of wind erosion in Inner Mongolia of China between 2001 and 2010

Ling Jiang,Yi Xiao,Zhiyun Ouyang,Hua Zheng

doi:10.1007/s11769-016-0797-y

Abstract

Using Geographic Information System (GIS), based on wind speed, precipitation, topographic, soil, vegetation coverage and land use data of Inner Mongolia between 2001 and 2010, we applied the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) model to simulate wind erosion intensity. The results showed that an area of approximately 47.8 × 104 km2 experienced wind erosion in 2010, 23.2% of this erosion could be rated as severe, and 46.0% as moderate. Both the area and the intensity of wind erosion had decreased from 2001 to 2010, the wind erosion area reduced 10.1%, and wind erosion intensity decreased by 29.4%. Precipitation, wind speed, population size and urbanization in rural areas, and gross domestic product of primary industry (GDP1) were the main factors influencing wind erosion. Overall, these factors accounted for 88.8% of the wind erosion. These results indicated that the decrease in wind erosion over the past decade related to the increase in precipitation and the decrease in the number of windy days, while modest urban development and optimization of the economic structure might partially reduced the level of ecological pressure, highlighting the importance of human activities in controlling wind erosion.

Highlights

Wind erosion is one of the most serious environmental problems in arid and semiarid regions of the world (Buschiazzo and Zobeck, 2008)
East Inner Mongolia is characterized by the presence of large extension of forests, while grassland dominates in the central parts, desert in the west, pasture land in the north, and farmland in the south
The results of previous studies showed that the rate of overexploitation of grasslands in the region increased from 23.6% in 1986 to 56.7% in 1992 (Xu and Bai, 1997), mainly driven by the population growth experienced in the region between 1980 and 1990, leading to grassland degradation and desertification

Summary

Introduction

Wind erosion is one of the most serious environmental problems in arid and semiarid regions of the world (Buschiazzo and Zobeck, 2008). Wind erosion can cause other major environmental problems, such as sand storms and episodes of reduced air quality (Hoffmann et al, 2011), which in turn can affect human health due to harmful effects of dust particles on the respiratory system (Copeland et al, 2009; De Longueville et al, 2009). Wind erosion is a complex physical process, and represents one of the most important exogenetic forces generating and shaping a range of geological features. Different climate factors, such as wind speed, precipitation, and temperature and human activities including farming, pasturage, wood cutting, and digging can influence the effects of wind erosion over the landscape. Changes in wind erosion patterns due to climate causes are temporary, while high levels of human impact associated with poor management strategies can accelerate wind erosion processes, potentially leading to Received date: 2014-10-14; accepted date: 2015-02-22 Foundation item: Under the auspices of National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China (No 2011BAC09B08), Chinese Geographical Science 2016 Vol 26 No 2 environmental catastrophes and endanger human life andhealth, and agricultural production (Hu et al, 2003)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion