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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Rangeland Resources & Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #361880
Title: A review of wind erosion models: data requirements, processes, and validity

Author
item JARRAH, MAHBOUBE - Institute For Agriculture & Crop Science - Germany
item MAYEL, SONIA - Institute For Agriculture & Crop Science - Germany
item Tatarko, John
item FUNK, ROGER - Zalf-Institute Of Soil Landscape Research
item KUKA, KATRIN - Institute For Agriculture & Crop Science - Germany

Submitted to: Catena
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2019
Publication Date: 12/26/2019
Citation: Jarrah, M., Mayel, S., Tatarko, J., Funk, R., Kuka, K. 2019. A review of wind erosion models: data requirements, processes, and validity. Catena. 187:104388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.104388.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.104388

Interpretive Summary: Wind erosion is a serious environmental problem throughout the world, and its severity depends on many factors. In recent years, significant research has been conducted to understand and predict the amount wind erosion for different environmental and management conditions. As a result, a number of computer models have been developed to better understand, predict, and develop control practices for wind erosion. We compared the most commonly used wind erosion models and their underlying concepts and validity. We also explored where and when these models should be applied, and we suggest future improvements for such models. We found that wind erosion models differ greatly in complexity and capabilities, which affects their usefulness in different regions and for specific problems. This review provides researchers and land mangers with a concise understanding of available wind erosion models so they can be properly selected and applied to various wind erosion problems.

Technical Abstract: Wind erosion is a threat for numerous landscapes throughout the world, which can be promoted or suppressed by direct and indirect impacts. In recent years, great efforts have been made to determine the magnitudes of wind-induced soil erosion under different environmental conditions and management practices. With the advent of wind erosion models, a better understanding of the dynamics and underlying mechanisms of wind erosion provides the basis for assessing not only soil erodibility, but also different conservation management practices with the aim of controlling soil erosion by wind. Different wind erosion models exist with varying degrees of complexity and specific capabilities as well as a range of spatial and temporal scales of application. Due to their uncertainties and limitations, their applicability to different regions and research questions is still under debate. This paper reviews several commonly used wind erosion models to compare the underlying concepts of wind erosion dynamics and provides some guidelines with respect to the models’ applicability, expected validity, and future directions of modelling research.