Thinning semiarid forests amplifies wind erosion comparably to wildfire: Implications for restoration and soil stability

Whicker, Jeffrey J.; Pinder, J.E.; Breshears, David D.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.08.006

Cited by 22 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Even in environments with low rates of wind erosion, disturbances to the land, either through climate change or human interaction, can significantly increase wind erosion and atmospheric dust levels [ Tegen et al , 1996; Whicker et al , 2008]. As noted, during the Dust Bowl, poor agricultural practices coupled with drought led to failed crops and massive dust storms [ Schubert et al , 2004; Gill and Lee , 2006].…”

Section: Aeolian Processes: Impacts Interactions and Feedbacksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aeolian Processes and the Biosphere

Ravi

D’Odorico

Breshears

et al. 2011

Reviews of Geophysics

257

186

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[1] Aeolian processes affect the biosphere in a wide variety of contexts, including landform evolution, biogeochemical cycles, regional climate, human health, and desertification. Collectively, research on aeolian processes and the biosphere is developing rapidly in many diverse and specialized areas, but integration of these recent advances is needed to better address management issues and to set future research priorities. Here we review recent literature on aeolian processes and their interactions with the biosphere, focusing on (1) geography of dust emissions, (2) impacts, interactions, and feedbacks, (3) drivers of dust emissions, and (4) methodological approaches. Geographically, dust emissions are highly spatially variable but also provide connectivity at global scales between sources and effects, with "hot spots" being of particular concern. Recent research reveals that aeolian processes have impacts, interactions, and feedbacks at a variety of scales, including large-scale dust transport and global biogeochemical cycles, climate mediated interactions between atmospheric dust and ecosystems, impacts on human health, impacts on agriculture, and interactions between aeolian processes and dryland vegetation. Aeolian dust emissions are driven largely by, in addition to climate, a combination of soil properties, soil moisture, vegetation and roughness, biological and physical crusts, and disturbances. Aeolian research methods span laboratory and field techniques, modeling, and remote sensing. Together these integrated perspectives on aeolian processes and the biosphere provide insights into management options and aid in identifying research priorities, both of which are increasingly important given that global climate models predict an increase in aridity in many dryland systems of the world.

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Section: Aeolian Processes: Impacts Interactions and Feedbacksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aeolian Processes and the Biosphere

Ravi

D’Odorico

Breshears

et al. 2011

Reviews of Geophysics

257

186

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“…With sufficient water infiltration, these radionuclides can pass downward in the soil profile and become less available for transport through wind and water erosion and more available for transport by groundwater flows. Conversely, radionuclides that have a high affinity for binding to soil stay on or near the soil surface and are available for transport by wind and water erosion, especially in arid or ecologically disturbed locations where the vegetation cover is low (Shinn et al 1989;Johansen et al 2003;Whicker et al 2002Whicker et al , 2005Whicker et al , 2006a.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

URANIUM PARTITION COEFFICIENTS (K d) IN FOREST SURFACE SOIL REVEAL LONG EQUILIBRIUM TIMES AND VARY BY SITE AND SOIL SIZE FRACTION

Whicker¹,

Pinder²,

Ibrahim

et al. 2007

Health Physics

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The environmental mobility of newly deposited radionuclides in surface soil is driven by complex biogeochemical relationships, which have significant impacts on transport pathways. The partition coefficient (Kd) is useful for characterizing the soil-solution exchange kinetics and is an important factor for predicting relative amounts of a radionuclide transported to groundwater compared to that remaining on soil surfaces and thus available for transport through erosion processes. Measurements of Kd for 238U are particularly useful because of the extensive use of 238U in military applications and associated testing, such as done at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Site-specific measurements of Kd for 238U are needed because Kd is highly dependent on local soil conditions and also on the fine soil fraction because 238U concentrates onto smaller soil particles, such as clays and soil organic material, which are most susceptible to wind erosion and contribute to inhalation exposure in off-site populations. We measured Kd for uranium in soils from two neighboring semiarid forest sites at LANL using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-based protocol for both whole soil and the fine soil fraction (diameters<45 microm). The 7-d Kd values, which are those specified in the EPA protocol, ranged from 276-508 mL g-1 for whole soil and from 615-2249 mL g-1 for the fine soil fraction. Unexpectedly, the 30-d Kd values, measured to test for soil-solution exchange equilibrium, were more than two times the 7-d values. Rates of adsorption of 238U to soil from solution were derived using a 2-component (FAST and SLOW) exponential model. We found significant differences in Kd values among LANL sampling sites, between whole and fine soils, and between 7-d and 30-d Kd measurements. The significant variation in soil-solution exchange kinetics among the soils and soil sizes promotes the use of site-specific data for estimates of environmental transport rates and suggests possible differences in desorption rates from soil to solution (e.g., into groundwater or lung fluid). We also explore potential relationships between wind erosion, soil characteristics, and Kd values. Combined, our results highlight the need for a better mechanistic understanding of soil-solution partitioning kinetics for accurate risk assessment.

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“…Human-induced burning is concentrated in the late dry season when fuel is completely dry, resulting in hotter and damaging fires [7]. Wind erosion in burnt areas could be instrumental in the redistribution, concentration, and off-site transport of productive soils particularly in arid to semiarid lands, but research in this area is limited compared to post-fire water erosion [55,67,68]. This is a major knowledge gap for regions such as Africa where land degradation is a problem [30].…”

Section: Fire-vegetation and Soil Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking fire and climate: interactions with land use, vegetation, and soil

Dube

2009

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

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Thinning semiarid forests amplifies wind erosion comparably to wildfire: Implications for restoration and soil stability

Cited by 22 publications

References 39 publications

Aeolian Processes and the Biosphere

Aeolian Processes and the Biosphere

URANIUM PARTITION COEFFICIENTS (K d) IN FOREST SURFACE SOIL REVEAL LONG EQUILIBRIUM TIMES AND VARY BY SITE AND SOIL SIZE FRACTION

Linking fire and climate: interactions with land use, vegetation, and soil

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