Integrating erosion models into land health assessments to support wind and water erosion management

Authors: WHEELER, BRANDI - New Mexico State University; Webb, Nicholas - Nick; Williams, Jason; EDWARDS, BRANDON - New Mexico State University; FAIST, AKASHA - University Of Montana; Herrick, Jeffrey - Jeff; KACHERGIS, EMILY - Bureau Of Land Management; LEPAK, NIKA - Bureau Of Land Management; McCord, Sarah; Newingham, Beth; PIETRASIAK, NICOLE - University Of Nevada; Toledo, David

Submitted to: International Conference on Aeolian Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2023
Publication Date: 7/14/2023
Citation: Wheeler, B., Webb, N.P., Williams, J.B., Edwards, B., Faist, A., Herrick, J.E., Kachergis, E., Lepak, N., McCord, S.E., Newingham, B.A., Pietrasiak, N., Toledo, D.N. 2023. Integrating erosion models into land health assessments to support wind and water erosion management. International Conference on Aeolian Research. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: Land health assessments provide land managers with information to better determine the need for preventing or limiting wind and water erosion to sustain agroecosystems. Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland health is an example land health assessment used in drylands, which can gain even more information about land health from erosion models. For example, users can understand the impacts of differences in soil and vegetation on wind and water erosion risk by using erosion estimates produced by erosion models such as the Aeolian EROsion (AERO) model or Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model (RHEM). This study provides a conceptual basis for using AERO and RHEM to support IIRH assessments that are used extensively by managers across United States rangelands. We show that using AERO and RHEM with IIRH can: A) improve understanding about potential erosion rates across ecologically similar sites and for different types of storm events; B) increase land health assessment consistency by providing reproducible erosion indicators; C) provide another line of evidence to support assessment conclusions about land health; and D) support identifying areas at risk of erosion where recent weather has not yet contributed to significant erosion evidence. Effectively using erosion models to support land health assessments can potentially help protect and restore dryland ecosystems by improving wind and water erosion management in these ecosystems.

Technical Abstract: Wind and water erosion can severely impact natural resources and ecosystem services, making soil erosion management essential to sustaining agroecosystems. Land health assessment protocols such as Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health (IIRH) provide valuable information to make decisions on managing soil erosion in vulnerable drylands. Using quantitative erosion models with land health assessments can further inform management decisions. For example, sediment transport estimates from the Aeolian EROsion (AERO) model and Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model (RHEM) can help in understanding the impacts of differences in soil and vegetation on wind and water erosion risk. This study provides a conceptual basis for using AERO and RHEM to support IIRH assessments that are used extensively by managers across United States rangelands. We illustrate how using erosion models with IIRH can: A) improve understanding about potential erosion rates across ecologically similar sites and for different types of storm events; B) increase land health assessment consistency by providing reproducible erosion indicators; C) provide another line of evidence to support assessment conclusions about land health; and D) support identifying areas at risk of erosion where recent weather has not yet contributed to significant erosion evidence. Effectively using erosion models to support land health assessments could potentially improve wind and water erosion management in drylands, helping protect and restore these ecosystems.