Soil Wind Erosion Research Articles

Research progress on wind erosion control with polyacrylamide (PAM).

Soil wind erosion is one of the main reasons for soil degradation in the northwest region of China. Polyacrylamide (PAM), as an efficient soil amendment, has gained extensive attention in recent years since it is effective in improving the structure of surface soil due to its special physical and chemical properties. This paper introduced the physical and chemical properties of PAM, reviewed the effects of PAM on soil wind erosion amount and threshold wind velocity, as well as the effect differences of PAM in soil wind erosion control under conditions of various methods and doses. Its effect was proved by comparing with other materials in detail. Furthermore, we analyzed the mecha-nism of wind erosion control with PAM according to its influence on soil physical characteristics. Comprehensive analysis showed that, although some problems existed in wind erosion control with (PAM), PAM as a sand fixation agent, can not only enhance the capacity of the soil resis-tance to wind erosion, but also improve soil physical properties to form better soil conditions. Besides, we proposed that combination of PAM and plant growth would increase the survival rate of plants greatly, control soil wind erosion in wind-erosive areas, and improve the quality of the ecological environment construction. Thus, PAM has practically important significance and wide application prospect in controlling soil wind erosion.

Influence of Shelterbelts on Success and Density of Waterfowl Nests within the Prairie Pothole Region of North America

Abstract. Shelterbelts are long rows of trees planted in the Great Plains of North America to reduce wind erosion of soil. Shelterbelts alter airflow, creating updrafts on the windward side (updraft zone), slow winds immediately on the leeward side (calm zone), and increased turbulence farther downwind of the shelterbelt (turbulent zone). They also provide hunting perches for avian predators and serve as corridors for mammalian predators. By determining the fate of 247 duck nests located in 27 Waterfowl Production Areas during 2006 and 2007, this study tested the hypothesis that duck nests located close to shelterbelts are more likely to be depredated than nests located in open fields and that nest densities are lower near shelterbelts than in open fields. Nest density in a shelterbelt's calm zone (0.22 nests/ha) was lower than in open fields (1.02 nest/ha). Shelterbelt orientation and porosity to airflow did not affect nest success or nest density. Shelterbelt height did not influence nest density, but n...

Biostabilization of Desert Sands Using Bacterially Induced Calcite Precipitation

ABSTRACTSand storms have become a growing global environmental issue and there is an urgent need to explore cost-effective green technologies to stabilize the sands of desert regions. In this study, the performance of a ureolytic Bacillus sp. for stabilization of sands was evaluated. The Bacillus sp. could efficiently consolidate sand particles by hydrolysis of urea and the subsequent production of calcite and aragonite minerals. The biostabilized sands had a high resistance to erosion by a 33 m s−1 wind speed even after 12-d exposure to freeze-thaw cycles. The compressive strength of biostabilized sands was dependent on the applied cell density and concentrations of Ca2+ and urea. High cell densities, urea and Ca2+ concentrations reduced the compressive strength. The optimal cell density, Ca2+ and urea concentrations were OD600 0.4, 15 mM and 20 g L−1, respectively, when performance and cost were considered. This study shows that biostabilization of sand based on microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has potential for the prevention of sand storms and wind erosion of soil.

Research on land use optimization for reducing wind erosion in sandy desertified area: a case study of Yuyang County in Mu Us Desert, China

Desertification land occupies vast area of world, which is a big threat to eco-environmental safety and brings huge economic losses. Wind erosion is a key process and ecological problem of land desertification in arid and semi-arid area, where unreasonable land use is one of major causes. Therefore, optimizing land use is a substantially effective approach to eco-environmental safety and development of sandy area. Yuyang County, located in Mu Us Desert of semi-arid sandy area and farming-pastoral zone in North China, was selected as a typical study area. The principles and methods on environmentally friendly land use planning surrounding urban area for combating soil wind erosion were constructed, and a “tri-circle” land use paradigm around Yulin City was worked out. It was predicted that by the year of 2020, farmland will be only 10 percent of total area of Yuyang County, which are able to meet the need of food and meat. The proportion of ecological land, productive land and living land would be 2.27:12.09:85.64, which will lead to a reasonable land use system for ecological security and social-economic sustainable development of the region. It shows that this research will help construct the sustainable land use system under ecological security, and ensure habitat environmental safety in urban area.

Determinants of soil erosion during the last 1600 years in the forest–steppe ecotone in Northern China reconstructed from lacustrine sediments

Wind erosion of soil in northern China contributes to the environment of East Asia and even the Northern Hemisphere. It is commonly thought that human-induced grassland degradation determines soil erosion in the semi-arid steppe region. In this study, we revealed determinants of soil erosion during the last ~1600years through analyzing lacustrine sediment from Huangqihai Lake in this region. Our results showed that soil erosion indicated by sediment particle size was enhanced during three periods: 1570–1330cal.yr.BP with warm and dry climate, 1250–1000cal.yr.BP with warm and wet climate, and 470–150cal.yr.BP with cold and dry climate. The common feature of vegetation regimes for enhanced soil erosion was replacement of forest by steppe, suggesting that decline in vegetation cover from forest to steppe, which was attributed to climatic changes, might lead to enhancement in soil erosion. The trend of historical soil erosion did not match the steady increase in historical human population in China and the very short history of massive cultivation in southern Inner Mongolia. In summary, our results supported nature- rather than human-dominated soil erosion in the semi-arid steppe region in north China during the last 1600years.

Spatial assessment of soil wind erosion using WEQ approach in Mongolia

Wind erosion is a major contributor to land degradation and desertification. According to the Global Assessment of Human Induced Soil Degradation, the dryland territories of Mongolia are significantly affected by wind erosion. We used the wind erosion equation model in an ArcGIS environment to evaluate wind erosion across Mongolia. The individual factors of the wind erosion equation were parameterized using the following datasets: (a) monthly climatic data from 45 meteorological stations; (b) 16-day composites of MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data; (c) a SRTM DEM with a 90 m spatial resolution; and (d) the soil map of Mongolia. The results revealed the significant influence of aridity on wind erosion. The desert and semi-desert ecosystems were more vulnerable to wind erosion, hence more affected. The map of wind erosion revealed three major wind erosion regions where the maximum soil loss of 15–27 t/(hm2∙a) was observed. In general, the wind erosion potentials for the entire country of Mongolia are 15–27 t/(hm2∙a) in the deserts and semi-deserts, 10–15 t/(hm2∙a) in the dry steppes and 5–10 t/(hm2∙a) in the steppe regions.

Quantification of wind erosion from some arid soils in Jordan under two different management practices

Jordan’s national food security is challenged by many threats such as soil erosion and desertification. Unfortunately, Jordan lacks field data that can strengthen efforts in reducing erosion and therefore combating desertification necessary to enable sustainable decision making. This study aimed to investigate the effect of passing sheep on soil wind erosion and to quantify windblown soil mass in arid soils. The field was divided into two sites; the first site was subject to disturbance through passage of about 40 sheep biweekly, while the other site was kept undisturbed. Two Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) sediment catcher traps were installed on each site. Two mass flux models were tested for calculating mass transport rates. The total horizontal flux is obtained by integrating the airborne particles collected by the BSNE sampler. Soil analyses showed no significant differences in all measured properties, ensuring that soil inherent erodibility is similar. Both models were significantly effective (P < 0.001) in predicting airborne sediment loads as indicated by their high associated R2 and low root-mean-square error (RMSE). The results also showed that trapped airborne dust decreases with height, where maximum fluxes were generally at lowest height, indicating that saltation is the dominant transport mode. Average erosion from the disturbed site is almost double the undisturbed site, (6.6 and 3.9 t/ha, respectively). The suggested management plan is to set the area aside as a land reserve or at least performing better grazing management, which will insure lower disturbance of surface soil, result in better plant recover rate leading to stronger soil cover, and allow soil aggregates to develop and be more stable.

黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错带坡耕地土壤风蚀速率空间分布

Wind erosion is difficult to separate from the total erosion in the wind-water erosion crisscross region of the Loess Plateau, regardless of its spatial distribution. Water erosion also contributes to the total erosion. Water and wind erosions affect each other. The methods and techniques used in current research present the most significant limitation. Therefore, the methods and techniques of the field must be improved. A short-lived radionuclide—7Be—was used to trace wind erosion in this study. Surface soil samples (0–30 mm) were collected from two north-faced farmland slopes with sandy loam and clay loam using the transect approach in the Liudaogou Watershed. This study estimated the rates of soil–wind erosion, analyzed the spatial distribution pattern of soil-wind erosion, and discussed its implication to wind conditions and local microreliefs. Results showed that the average rate of wind erosion was 1560.81 t/(km2 a) on sandy loam slope A and 694.26 t/(km2 a) on clay loam slope B. The wind erosion rate decreased from top to bottom for both slopes. Soil particles were coarser, specific surface areas were smaller, and organic matter contents were lower in the surface layer (0–30 mm) after wind erosion than those before wind erosion. The isolines of the wind erosion rate visually showed the wind erosion distribution and indicated that the north wind was the effective resultant wind direction that caused soil loss. The variation in the shape of the isolines reflected the microreliefs of the slopes, and their variation degree denoted the influence degree and scope of microreliefs on wind erosion.

Economics of soil degradation and sustainable use of land in danger of wind erosion

Soil degradation has been identified as one of the major threats to European soils. This article describes the conditions under which wind erosion of soils occurs in Ukraine and the potential soil loss caused by this problem. The purpose of this paper is to find the best option, from both an economic and an environmental point of view, to conserve and restore soil productivity on the land suffering from and at risk of wind erosion. Losses of humus and nutrients from the soil through deflation have been calculated for the districts of Volyn in 1999–2009, and ecological and economic damage from the loss of soil through deflation has been identified for Volyn district and the village of Pichcha. Three options to mitigate and compensate for the losses of organic matter and nutrients on the affected lands are assessed for the comparative effectiveness of the measures in the Pichcha village, Shatsky district, Volyn region during 2008–2012. In these sites, the research identified that the best measure against soil deflation as changing the economic use of lands at risk of soil erosion by wind. In particular, the halting of cattle grazing and the creation of overseeding grass meadows. This options has a number of advantages, including: the cultivation of perennial grasses generates income from the sale of seed clover in the first year and hay for following four years; through nitrogen fixing bacteria associated with the annual grasses improving nitrogen levels in the soil; and, through halting the deflationary processes in the different soil types in the investigated areas and allowing for the steady build up of a fertile humus layer.

Variable effects of saltation and soil properties on wind erosion of different textured soils

Wind erosion largely depends on saltation. Nevertheless, the effect of the composition of the saltation fraction of different textured soils is poorly understood, as is the relative influence of both saltation and soil properties on wind erosion. In order to answer these questions, wind erosion of six differently textured soils were simulated with a wind tunnel. The following saltation conditions were considered: injected saltation, in which the saltation fraction of each soil was added to the soil bed; no saltation, in which the soil eroded naturally, without injection of its saltation fraction; and only saltation, in which the saltation fraction was injected in absence of the soil bed. Results indicated that total erosion amounts increased as a function of the abrasion energy of the saltating particles but also with decreasing aggregation rate of the saltation fraction. The aforementioned agrees with a lower aggregate stability and higher amounts of the erodible fraction of sandy soils. Though saltation of individual sand grains produced impacts of higher kinetic energy on the soil surface of sandy soils than of fine textured soils, the relative erosion (quotient between the erosion occurred with and without saltation) was higher in finest soils, indicating a larger effect of saltation, probably due to the larger fragmentation of aggregates in these soils. Results of this study indicated that both the composition of the saltating fraction and also the intrinsic properties of the soil determined wind erosion.

Nitrogen loss from windblown agricultural soils in the Columbia Plateau

Abstract Wind erosion of agricultural soils can degrade both air quality and soil productivity in the Columbia Plateau of the Pacific Northwest United States. Soils in the region contain fine particles that, when suspended, are highly susceptible to long range transport in the atmosphere. Nitrogen (N) associated with off-site transport of windblown particulate matter depletes the parent soil of nutrients important in sustaining the biological activity of soils. The objective of this study was to quantify the loss of N from eroding agricultural fields during high wind events. Soil eroded from fields subject to conventional tillage in winter wheat–summer fallow rotations in eastern Washington was trapped in creep and Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) samplers installed on the leeward side of fields at heights of 0–1.5 m above the surface. The location of field sites varied over the 8 years of this study, but all sites were characterized by soils with a silt loam texture and annual precipitation of ⩽305 mm. Nitrogen content of the parent soil ranged from 0.063% to 0.090% while N content of sediment trapped by the samplers during high winds ranged from 0.053% to 0.101%. Enrichment ratios (ERs) for N ranged from 0.8 to 1.3, indicating the sediment was not highly enriched in N as compared with the parent soil. Nitrogen loss was estimated to range from 0.1 to 1.9 kg ha−1 during a high wind event. Nitrogen loss may be reduced by using conservation practices that have been proven effective in controlling wind erosion.

Wind erosion control utilizing standing corn residue in Northeast China

Soil wind erosion is a serious concern in agricultural regions. Wind erosion is of particular concern in Northeast China where a north continental monsoon climate is prevalent and land is prepared for seeding using an ancient ridge culture technique. Cultural reluctance to adopting a cropping strategy that leaves residues is also based on local population use of corn stalks as animal fodder and fuel. In order to evaluate the conservation effects of standing residue on controlling soil wind erosion, a 4-year study (2011–2014) was conducted near Changchun city in Northeast China. Four experimental treatments were used: un-fixed corn residue coverage (shattering/cutting the corn stalks into small sections and spreading them on the soil surface) and three treatments with the standing corn residue of different height for each treatment; 30-, 40- and 50-cm.11The treatment with soil surface covered with small pieces of un-fixed, loose corn residue is designated as PA. The 30-cm high standing corn residue treatment is designated as PB; 40-cm treatment as PC; and 50-cm treatment as PD. Saltation probability is designated as Pi. The corn stalk residue above that which remained in each treatment was removed from the field as much as practical. The standing residue treatments also resulted in some soil coverage by fugitive leaves and small stalk pieces. The experimental design was four treatments replicated four times, with years as replicates. Soil loss from the un-fixed corn residue coverage treatment and soil sediment from the standing residue coverage treatments was measured. Standing residue with the heights of 30-, 40- and 50-cm increased mean aerodynamic roughness length (equivalent to the height at which the wind speed theoretically becomes zero) by 19.87, 43.77 and 61.62, respectively, and increased mean threshold wind speed by 11, 25 and 33%, respectively. Mean monthly soil loss mass balance for un-fixed corn residue was 1.27Mgha−1, and the mean monthly values for soil sediment mass balance were 0.725, 1.088 and 1.967Mgha−1 for 30-, 40- and 50-cm standing residue treatments, respectively. These experiments indicate that standing residue conservation management can act as an effective way to control soil wind erosion, while providing a portion of corn stalks for the local population to continue using as animal fodder and fuel.

Dynamic monitoring of soil wind erosion in Inner Mongolia of China during 1985–2011 based on geographic information system and remote sensing

In Inner Mongolia, soil wind erosion is a serious environmental problem. The aim of the study was to develop an estimation model to analyze the spatial and temporal changes of soil wind erosion during 1985-2011 based on geographic information system and remote sensing. The results showed that wind erosion was widely distributed in Inner Mongolia with an area of approximately 95 x 10(4) km(2). During 1985-2011, wind erosion has deteriorated over the entire region of Inner Mongolia, which was indicated by enlarged zones of erosion at severe and intensive grades. There was a significant difference in change intensity among different plant types that zones occupied by barren or sparsely vegetation showed the severest deterioration while the wind erosion of cropland showed a slight improvement in wind erosion. In addition, a significantly negative relation was noted between change intensity of wind erosion and vegetation coverage. Furthermore, the change rate of wind erosion was negatively correlated with the number of days (wind velocity a parts per thousand yen6 m/s). The relationships between soil types and change intensity differed with the surface distributions of sandy, loamy and clayey soil with particle sizes of 0-1 cm. The soil type of haplic luvisols showed the strongest resistance to wind erosion. The results have certain significance for understanding the mechanism and change process of wind erosion and can provide a scientific basis for the prevention of wind erosion in Inner Mongolia.

An estimation method of soil wind erosion in Inner Mongolia of China based on geographic information system and remote sensing

Studies of wind erosion based on Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) have not attracted sufficient attention because they are limited by natural and scientific factors. Few studies have been conducted to estimate the intensity of large-scale wind erosion in Inner Mongolia, China. In the present study, a new model based on five factors including the number of snow cover days, soil erodibility, aridity, vegetation index and wind field intensity was developed to quantitatively estimate the amount of wind erosion. The results showed that wind erosion widely existed in Inner Mongolia. It covers an area of approximately 90x10(4) km(2), accounting for 80% of the study region. During 1985-2011, wind erosion has aggravated over the entire region of Inner Mongolia, which was indicated by enlarged zones of erosion at severe, intensive and mild levels. In Inner Mongolia, a distinct spatial differentiation of wind erosion intensity was noted. The distribution of change intensity exhibited a downward trend that decreased from severe increase in the southwest to mild decrease in the northeast of the region. Zones occupied by barren land or sparse vegetation showed the most severe erosion, followed by land occupied by open shrubbery. Grasslands would have the most dramatic potential for changes in the future because these areas showed the largest fluctuation range of change intensity. In addition, a significantly negative relation was noted between change intensity and land slope. The relation between soil type and change intensity differed with the content of CaCO3 and the surface composition of sandy, loamy and clayey soils with particle sizes of 0-1 cm. The results have certain significance for understanding the mechanism and change process of wind erosion that has occurred during the study period. Therefore, the present study can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of wind erosion in Inner Mongolia.

Cogitation on developing a dynamic model of soil wind erosion

Studies on soil wind erosion began with single factors affecting soil wind erosion; with increasing quantities of data being accumulated, the wind erosion equation (WEQ), the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ), the wind erosion prediction system (WEPS), and other soil wind erosion models have been successively established, and great advances have been achieved. Here we briefly review the soil wind erosion research course and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the current soil wind erosion models. From the perspective of the dynamics of wind erosion, we classified the factors affecting soil wind erosion into three categories, namely, wind erosivity factors (WEF), soil antierodibility factors (SAF), and roughness interference factors (RIF). We proposed the concept of a standard plot of soil wind erosion to solve the problem of uncertainty of the soil wind erosion modulus on a spatial scale, and provided methods to set similarity conditions in wind tunnel simulation experiments and to convert the spatial scale of the wind erosion modulus from the standard plot to a large scale field. We also proposed a conceptual model on the basis of the dynamics of soil wind erosion with the theoretical basis that wind produces a shear force on the soil surface. This shear force is partitioned by barely erodible soil surfaces and roughness elements on the ground, and the amount of soil loss by wind should be calculated by comparing the shear force of the wind on barely erodible soil surfaces with the anti-erosion force of the surface soil. One advantage of this conceptual model is that the calculated soil wind erosion modulus is not subject to changes of spatial scale. Finally, we recommended continual improvement of the existing models while also establishing new models.

Contribution of Natural Sources to PM Emissions over the Metropolitan Areas of Athens and Thessaloniki

The objective of this study is to examine the seasonal and inter-annual variation of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM2.5–10) primary and secondary emissions from natural sources and their contributions to total PM emissions over the Athens and Thessaloniki metropolitan areas (Greece; AMA and TMA respectively), during the period 2000–2010. Therefore spatiotemporally disaggregated emission inventories for PM2.5, PM2.5–10 and BVOCs (Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds), precursor to PM, from natural sources (vegetation, sea surface and wind erosion of soil) were created and compared to anthropogenic emissions in the areas. The results showed that the contribution of natural sources to PM10 emissions was significant (~79% for AMA; ~46% for TMA). Sea surface was the most abundant source of PM2.5–10 emissions in both areas whereas windblown dust accounted for a relatively small fraction of total natural PM10 emissions in AMA and TMA (~8%; ~12.5%). In addition, BVOCs emissions accounted for approximately 0.3% and 1.6% of total primary and secondary PM10 emitted from the AMA and TMA, respectively. It was found that the relative contribution of natural sources to total PM10 emissions has increased in both areas (0.9% in AMA and 27.6% in TMA) from the beginning to the end of the studied period. There was no significant seasonal variation observed in the natural PM10 emissions or to their contribution to total PM10 emissions while BVOCs emissions were increased during the warm period due to the enhanced solar radiation and temperature. The period averaged share of primary PM10 and gaseous precursors to secondary aerosol formation from natural sources to total equivalent PM10 mass in the areas was approximately 32% in AMA and 12% in TMA.

Vertical distribution of soil moisture and surface sandy soil wind erosion for different types of sand dune on the southeastern margin of the Mu Us Sandy Land, China.

Soil moisture is a critical state affecting a variety of land surface and subsurface processes. We report investigation results of the factors controlling vertical variation of soil moisture and sand transport rate of three types of dunes on the southeastern margin of the Mu Us Sandy Land. Samples were taken from holes drilled to a depth of 4 m at different topographic sites on the dunes, and were analyzed for soil moisture, grain-size distribution and surface sediment discharge. The results show that:(1) The average soil moisture varies in different types of dunes, with the following sequences ordered from highest to lowest: in the shrubs-covered dunes and the trees-covered dunes the sequence is from inter-dunes lowland to windward slope to leeward slope. The average moisture in the bare-migratory sand dunes is sequenced from inter-dunes lowland to leeward slope to windward slope.(2) Vegetation form and surface coverage affect the range of soil moisture of different types of dunes in the same topographic position. The coefficient of variation of soil moisture for shrubs-covered dunes is higher than that of other types of dune.(3) The effect of shrubs on dune soil moisture is explained in terms of the greater ability of shrubs to trap fine-grained atmospheric dust and hold moisture.(4) The estimated sand transport rates over sand dunes with sparse shrubs are less than those over bare-migratory dunes or sand dunes with sparse trees, indicating that shrubs are more effective in inhibiting wind erosion in the sandy land area.

Soil Wind Erodibility Based on Dry Aggregate‐Size Distribution in the Tarim Basin

The Tarim Basin is an important source of airborne particulate matter that contributes to poor air quality in China. However, little attention has been given to estimating wind erodibility of soils in the region. The objective of this study was to determine the soil wind erodibility for four land use types in the Tarim Basin. Wind erodibility was determined from the dry aggregate size distribution of soils collected from desert, farmland, forest, and shrubland environments in spring 2013. Our analysis revealed that the percentage of soil mass composed of aggregates &lt;840 μm in diameter (erodible fraction) ranged from 5.2 to 99.9% across sites with a mean of 58.9% across land use types. The four land use types had a high content of erodible aggregates. The mean percentage of soil mass which was comprised of saltation‐size (500–100 μm in diameter) and suspension‐size material (&lt;100 μm in diameter) was 15.0 and 39.0%, respectively, across land use types. The desert had the highest potential for saltation activity and suspension. Our results suggest that all land use types examined in this study have potential to contribute to the atmospheric dust load in the Tarim Basin and to transcontinental and transoceanic transport of dust.

Classification and Representation of Factors Affecting Soil Wind Erosion in a Model

Classification and Representation of Factors Affecting Soil Wind Erosion in a Model

Threshold friction velocity of crusted windblown soils in the Columbia Plateau

Abstract Wind erosion processes are governed by soil physical properties and surface characteristics. Erosion is initiated when the friction velocity exceeds the threshold friction velocity (u∗t) of soils. Although u∗t is influenced by soil physical properties such as wetness and crusting, there is little information available on the effect of soil crusting on u∗t. Knowledge of the relationship between soil crusting and u∗t is required to improve our ability to predict wind erosion and PM10 (particulates ⩽10 μm in aerodynamic diameter) emissions from crusted soils. Threshold friction velocity was assessed on five soil types commonly found across the Columbia Plateau. These soils were obtained from agricultural fields, placed in trays, subject to various rainfall amounts to promote crust formation, and then exposed to winds inside a wind tunnel. Emission of soil particulates and PM10 as a function of wind speed were monitored by saltation and aerosol sensors. Threshold friction velocity was determined by systematically increasing wind speed until we observed an increase in airborne particulate or PM10 concentration. Threshold friction velocity increased with the development of a soil crust; u∗t increased exponentially with an increase in crust strength and thickness. The relationship between u∗t and crust thickness was influenced by clay content. The relationship between u∗t and crust strength and thickness should be considered when simulating wind erosion of agricultural soils.