Quantifying wind erosion responses to ecosystem change across western US rangelands

Authors: Webb, Nicholas - Nick; EDWARDS, BRANDON - New Mexico State University; McCord, Sarah; DHITAL, SARAJ - New Mexico State University; Heller, Alexandra; SCHALLNER, JEREMY - New Mexico State University; TREMINO, RONALD - New Mexico State University; TYREE, GAYLE - Us Geological Survey (USGS); WHEELER, BRANDI - New Mexico State University; CHAPPELL, ADRIAN - Cardiff University

Submitted to: Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2023
Publication Date: 3/23/2023
Citation: Webb, N.P., Edwards, B., McCord, S.E., Dhital, S., Heller, A., Schallner, J., Tremino, R., Tyree, G., Wheeler, B., Chappell, A. 2023. Quantifying wind erosion responses to ecosystem change across western US rangelands. Ecological Society of America (ESA). Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: Ecosystems across the western United States (US) are undergoing extensive change as a consequence of invasive plant establishment, changing fire cycles, drought, and novel patterns of disturbance associated with disperse and discrete land uses. However, little is known about the regional effects of these ecosystem changes on wind erosion and dust emission. In this presentation we describe how different disturbance regimes are impacting western ecosystems and accelerating (or reducing) wind erosion and dust emissions and their effects on ecosystems, water resources, and air quality. We synthesize outcomes from a set of modeling studies that use available field and remote sensing datasets and wind erosion models to assess how ecosystem state changes brought about by disperse (e.g., grazing) and discrete (e.g., wildfire, energy development) disturbances at small (<1 ha) and large (>103 ha) spatial scales are driving vegetation community change and the susceptibility of landscapes to wind erosion. We show how thresholds in ecosystem responses to disturbance can be identified from these analyses to provide early warning of tipping points at which wind erosion may dramatically accelerate and exacerbate ecosystem change, and which can serve as indicators of erosion risk to inform adaptive land management approaches.

Technical Abstract: Ecosystems across the western United States (US) are undergoing extensive change as a consequence of invasive plant establishment, changing fire cycles, drought, and novel patterns of disturbance associated with disperse and discrete land uses. However, little is known about the regional effects of these ecosystem changes on wind erosion and dust emission. In this presentation we describe how different disturbance regimes are impacting western ecosystems and accelerating (or reducing) wind erosion and dust emissions and their effects on ecosystems, water resources, and air quality. We synthesize outcomes from a set of modeling studies that use available field and remote sensing datasets and wind erosion models to assess how ecosystem state changes brought about by disperse (e.g., grazing) and discrete (e.g., wildfire, energy development) disturbances at small (<1 ha) and large (>103 ha) spatial scales are driving vegetation community change and the susceptibility of landscapes to wind erosion. We show how thresholds in ecosystem responses to disturbance can be identified from these analyses to provide early warning of tipping points at which wind erosion may dramatically accelerate and exacerbate ecosystem change, and which can serve as indicators of erosion risk to inform adaptive land management approaches.