Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415405
Research Project: Assessment of Sediment and Chemical Transport Processes for Developing and Improving Agricultural Conservation Practices

Location: National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory

Title: Soil erosion research studies in the age of changing climate

Author
item Flanagan, Dennis
item Mankin, Kyle
item THOMPSON, ANITA - University Of Wisconsin

Submitted to: Journal of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/21/2024
Publication Date: 10/1/2024
Citation: Flanagan, D.C., Mankin, K.R., Thompson, A.M. 2024. Soil erosion research studies in the age of changing climate. Journal of the ASABE. https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.16096.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.16096

Interpretive Summary: Soil erosion by erosive agents of wind and water are major concerns in protecting our natural soil resource. Research into soil erosion by wind and water began in the early 1900s in the U.S., but was prioritized after the Dust Bowl, with Congressional funding for both fundamental and applied research, and transfer of erosion control methods to farmers and landowners throughout the country. Erosion prediction technologies for both water erosion and wind erosion were developed in the 1960s, with basic assumptions of stationarity in climate conditions. However, for the past thirty years noticeable changes in climate conditions have become evident, most likely due to global temperature increases because of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. In this age of changing climate, threats from soil erosion may be increasing due to increased precipitation in some locations, decreased precipitation in other places, and rising temperatures and greater likelihood of extreme weather events. Both soil erosion research and erosion prediction technologies will need to be improved to account for these variable climate effects, since it is the weather and specifically rainstorms and windstorms that drive soil losses. In January 2023, over 130 soil erosion scientists and soil conservationists met to discuss current soil erosion issues, research techniques, and erosion prediction technologies. Information on the Soil Erosion Research Under a Changing Climate international symposium, and details on a special collection of journal articles is provided in this paper. Soil erosion, and research to measure, estimate, and control soil erosion impacts everyone dependent on agriculture and the soil for their food, fiber, and/or fuel.

Technical Abstract: This paper introduces a collection of 12 journal articles featured from a decennial international ASABE soil erosion research symposium in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico in January 2023. Over 130 soil erosion scientists and soil conservationists met to discuss current soil erosion issues, research techniques, and erosion prediction technologies. In addition to the meeting presentations (https://topsoil.nserl.purdue.edu/~flanagan/erosymp2023/Presentations/erosymp-prog.htm) and proceedings (116 abstracts or papers available online: https://elibrary.asabe.org/conference.asp?confid=soil2023), twelve articles were published in a special collection in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) journals. Information on the ASABE Soil Erosion Research Under a Changing Climate international symposium, and details on the special collection of articles is provided in this paper.