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Vegetation in Drylands: Effects on Wind Flow and Aeolian Sediment Transport

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  • Jerome R. Mayaud

    (School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK)

  • Nicholas P. Webb

    (USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA)

Abstract

Drylands are characterised by patchy vegetation, erodible surfaces and erosive aeolian processes. Empirical and modelling studies have shown that vegetation elements provide drag on the overlying airflow, thus affecting wind velocity profiles and altering erosive dynamics on desert surfaces. However, these dynamics are significantly complicated by a variety of factors, including turbulence, and vegetation porosity and pliability effects. This has resulted in some uncertainty about the effect of vegetation on sediment transport in drylands. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the effects of dryland vegetation on wind flow and aeolian sediment transport processes. In particular, wind transport models have played a key role in simplifying aeolian processes in partly vegetated landscapes, but a number of key uncertainties and challenges remain. We identify potential future avenues for research that would help to elucidate the roles of vegetation distribution, geometry and scale in shaping the entrainment, transport and redistribution of wind-blown material at multiple scales. Gaps in our collective knowledge must be addressed through a combination of rigorous field, wind tunnel and modelling experiments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jerome R. Mayaud & Nicholas P. Webb, 2017. "Vegetation in Drylands: Effects on Wind Flow and Aeolian Sediment Transport," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-24, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:6:y:2017:i:3:p:64-:d:112327
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David S. G. Thomas & Melanie Knight & Giles F. S. Wiggs, 2005. "Remobilization of southern African desert dune systems by twenty-first century global warming," Nature, Nature, vol. 435(7046), pages 1218-1221, June.
    2. Sonia Kéfi & Max Rietkerk & Concepción L. Alados & Yolanda Pueyo & Vasilios P. Papanastasis & Ahmed ElAich & Peter C. de Ruiter, 2007. "Spatial vegetation patterns and imminent desertification in Mediterranean arid ecosystems," Nature, Nature, vol. 449(7159), pages 213-217, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Na Wu & Yongxiao Ge & Jilili Abuduwaili, 2021. "Grain Size Characteristics of Sediments Found in Typical Landscapes in the Playa of Ebinur Lake, Arid Central Asia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Justus G. V. van Ramshorst & Lukas Siebicke & Moritz Baumeister & Fernando E. Moyano & Alexander Knohl & Christian Markwitz, 2022. "Reducing Wind Erosion through Agroforestry: A Case Study Using Large Eddy Simulations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Akito Kono & Toshiya Okuro, 2021. "Spatial Distribution of Shrubs Impacts Relationships among Saltation, Roughness, and Vegetation Structure in an East Asian Rangeland," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-18, November.
    4. Lihui Tian & Wangyang Wu & Dengshan Zhang & Yang Yu, 2020. "Airflow Field Around Hippophae rhamnoides in Alpine Semi-Arid Desert," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-12, May.

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