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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379225
Research Project: Improving Air Quality, Soil Health and Nutrient Use Efficiency to Increase Northwest Agroecosystem Performance

Location: Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research

Title: Threshold friction velocities influenced by standing crop residue in the inland Pacific Northwest, USA

Author
item PI, HUAWEI - Washington State University
item Huggins, David
item Sharratt, Brenton

Submitted to: Land Degradation and Development
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2020
Publication Date: 3/12/2020
Citation: Pi, H., Huggins, D.R., Sharratt, B.S. 2020. Threshold friction velocities influenced by standing crop residue in the inland Pacific Northwest, USA. Land Degradation and Development. 31(16):2356-2368. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3602.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3602

Interpretive Summary: Crop residue is an important factor affecting wind erosion of soil We measured the threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length in the presence of winter wheat, canola and garbanzo bean standing residues to identify how these different crop residues would influence wind erosion. Results showed that both threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length of these variables increased linearly with residue density for the three residue types. This study shows the importance of crop residue type in determining threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length when modeling wind erosion. These results will be useful for farmers, NRCS and scientists interested in wind erosion of agricultural soils.

Technical Abstract: Crop residue is an important factor affecting soil wind erosion. Few studies have tested the effects of crop residue on threshold friction velocities which controls the initiation of wind erosion and also the frequency and intensity of erosion events. This study measured the threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length in the presence of winter wheat, canola and garbanzo bean standing residues to identify the sheltering capability against wind erosion of these different vegetation patterns. The influence of crop residue density and lateral cover (total roughness frontal area to soil surface area) on threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length was tested in a wind-tunnel. The results indicated both of these variables increased linearly with residue density for the three residue types. Based on the slope of regression analysis, threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length of garbanzo were 40 and 25% higher than winter wheat and 43 and 119% higher than canola. This study shows the importance of crop residue type in determining threshold friction velocity and aerodynamic roughness length when modeling wind erosion.