文章基本信息

标题：Physical Crust Formation on Sandy Soils and Their Potential to Reduce Dust Emissions from Croplands
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作者：Heleen C. Vos ; Wolfgang Fister ; Frank D. Eckardt 等
期刊名称：Land
印刷版ISSN：2073-445X
出版年度：2020
卷号：9
期号：503
页码：503
DOI：10.3390/land9120503
语种：English
出版社：MDPI, Open Access Journal
摘要：The sandy croplands in the Free State have been identified as one of the main dust sources in South Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and strength of physical soil crusts on cropland soils in the Free State, to identify the rainfall required to form a stable crust, and to test their impact on dust emissions. Crust strength was measured using a fall cone penetrometer and a torvane, while laboratory rainfall simulations were used to form experimental crusts. Dust emissions were measured with a Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL). The laboratory rainfall simulations showed that stable crusts could be formed by 15 mm of rainfall. The PI-SWERL experiments illustrated that the PMsub10/sub emission flux of such crusts is between 0.14% and 0.26% of that of a non-crusted Luvisol and Arenosol, respectively. The presence of abraders on the crust can increase the emissions up to 4% and 8% of the non-crusted dust flux. Overall, our study shows that crusts in the field are potentially enough to protect the soil surfaces against wind erosion during a phase of the cropping cycle when the soil surface is not protected by plants.