Estimation of Sand Transportation Rate for Fixed and Semi- Fixed Dunes Using Meteorological Wind Data

• Published in: Pedosphere Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 129 - 136
• Main Authors: HU, Xia, LIU, Lian-You, LI, Shun-Jiang, XIAO, Bi-Lin, LIU, Mu-Xing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Civil Affairs/Ministry of Education, BeijingNormal University, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 China%Institute of Plant Nutrition and Resources, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097 China%Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beifing 100081 China 01.02.2009; Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Civil Affairs/Ministry of Education, BeijingNormal University, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 China; Key Lab of Environment Change and Natural Disaster, Ministry of Education, Belting Normal Univeristy, Beijing 100875 China; State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 21008 China%Key Lab of Environment Change and Natural Disaster, Ministry of Education, Belting Normal Univeristy, Beijing 100875 China
• Subjects: 内蒙古; 土壤沙漠化; 土壤腐蚀; China, People's Rep., Inner Mongolia; China, People's Rep; sand transportation rate; fixed and semi-fixed dunes; meteorological wind data; wind erosion
• ISSN: 1002-0160; 2210-5107
• DOI: 10.1016/S1002-0160(08)60092-2

Taibus County, Inner Mongolia, China, lies in a farming-pastoral ecotone, where severe wind erosion and various aeolian sand hazards are prevalent and fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes occur frequently. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between sand transportation rate and wind speed for the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes based on field measurements. The annual quantity of soil erosion by wind was estimated using meteorological wind data. The results indicated that the sand transportation rate in Taibus County in 2000 was 57.38 kg cm^-1 year-1 for the semi-fixed dunes and 4.56 kg cm^-1 year^-1 for the fixed dunes. The total duration of erosive winds covered 12.5% of the time of the year, and spring posed the highest potential of sand transportation. Wind with low speed （≤ 17 m s^-1） and high frequency plays a dominant role in sand transportation, while strong wind （≥ 17 m s^-1） with low frequency significantly enhanced the sand transportation. Erosive wind speed, directions, and frequency were three crucial dynamic factors influencing sand hazards in the farming-pastoral ecotone. The dominant factors intensifying sand and dust storms in Taibus County might be related to the favorable wind condition in combination with the durable drought, which led to land desertification and vegetation degradation.