Abstract

ELTAIF, N. I.  and  GHARAIBEH, M. A.. Application of a mathematical model to predict and reduce wind erosion in non-protected arid lands. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.spe, pp.195-206. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2010.08.061.

Soil wind erosion is one of the most serious land degradation problems in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Calculation of the potential erosion for study area averaged 70.2 Mg·ha^-1·year¹. In an attempt was made to reduce wind erosion using a mathematical model. Results showed that applying short predetermined succeeding lengths reduced wind erosion greatly but not fairly enough. Wind erosion tends to decrease with decreasing field distance; however the tolerable level of soil loss was not achieved by applying a short field length of 50 m and a ridge value of 0.5^. The used model helps to draw some preliminary conclusions about the possible conservation practices (vegetative cover) to mitigate wind erosion. Calculations indicated that using 250 to 500 kg ha^-1 of plant residues seems to be adequate to diminish soil loss to a tolerable level (~ 2 Mg·ha^-1) irrespective of K and L values.

Keywords : Arid region; crop residues; field length; potential erosion; ridge roughness.