Vegetation morphologic and aerodynamic characteristics reduce aeolian erosion

Absract Vegetation cover is crucial to controlling aeolian erosion but highly efficient vegetation is critical. How this efficiency is influenced by vegetation response to airflow is not clear. Here we evaluate the responses of Cosmos bipinnatus and Ligustrum lucidum Ait to a range of wind speeds in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inScientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 12831 - 9
Main Authors Miri, Abbas, Dragovich, Deirdre, Dong, Zhibao
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group UK 09.10.2017
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects
704/172/4081
704/2151/215
Air flow
Erosion control
Humanities and Social Sciences
Morphology
multidisciplinary
Physical characteristics
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Sediment transport
Shelters
Vegetation
Vegetation cover
Wind speed
Wind tunnels
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Summary:Absract Vegetation cover is crucial to controlling aeolian erosion but highly efficient vegetation is critical. How this efficiency is influenced by vegetation response to airflow is not clear. Here we evaluate the responses of Cosmos bipinnatus and Ligustrum lucidum Ait to a range of wind speeds in a wind tunnel. For both species, we calculate shelter effect and sand flux. We show that plant effectiveness in reducing wind speed and sediment transport is linked to their aerodynamic response to airflow which results from their morphology. We demonstrate that in low-density cover the flow-response and resistance of individuals is most critical in the optimal effectiveness of a canopy. Our wind tunnel experiment suggests that vegetation morphology and structure must be priority parameters in facilitating aeolian erosion control.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-13084-x