Wind erosion on heavy-textured soils: calculation and mapping

Abstract

The equation that expresses the influence of factors affecting soil aggregates breakdown, and thus wind erosion, originated from the results of laboratory simulations of soil aggregates breakdown due to low temperatures treatment, field measurements of air temperature and soil moisture, and statistical evaluation of gained outcomes. All the analyses, whether field or laboratory, were realized on three different soils from three different localities of the Bílé Karpaty Mountains foothills – Ostrožská Nová Ves, Blatnice pod Svatým Antonínkem, and Suchá Loz. The statistically significant factors, influencing the soil aggregates breakdown, were determined using multiple regression analysis and stepwise regression. Soil moisture content at time of freezing was the most significant factor affecting soil aggregates breakdown, content of soil particles < 0.01 mm was the least significant one. Based on the results of laboratory and field research there was created a map of heavy-textured soils that are vulnerable to wind erosion.