The Methods of Locating Areas Exposed to Wind Erosion in the South Moravia Region

Abstract

The conditions for the development of wind erosion are determined by the soil and climatic conditions as well as by the presence or absence of wind barriers. It is because of its climatic and soil conditions that the territory of the South Moravia Region has been affected by erosion for centuries. Combined with the atmospheric conditions, the dry and warm climate enables the development of aeolian processes both in light, drying soils and – under certain climatic conditions – in heavy, clay-loam soils. Soil erosion exposure maps have been prepared in order to identify the territories which are potentially exposed to wind erosion in terms of the soil and climatic conditions. Six exposure categories have been applied to the soils. However, the impact of permanent vegetation barriers – line elements – must be considered in order to identify the most exposed areas. Protective forest belts were planted in the 1950s to counter the effects of wind erosion and they are included in the database of the Institute for Economic Forest Management. The network of these wind barriers and the heath condition of the individual elements are often unsatisfactory because of poor maintenance. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the spatial function of the network of protective forest belts using the map of the potential exposure of soil in the Region of South Moravia. The method used to evaluate the spatial function of the windbreaks presented in the study using GIS instruments.