Protection against wind erosion of agricultural land

Wind erosion is a natural process in which soil particles are removed from the soil surface by the mechanical force of the wind, transported to another location and subsequently deposited. Other factors influencing wind erosion include temperature (higher temperatures help to dry out the soil), precipitation (the lower the soil moisture, the greater the susceptibility to wind erosion) and land use, including vegetation cover. Serious consequences include the loss of topsoil, the deterioration of the soil’s physical and chemical properties, and increased dust levels in the environment.

Measures to reduce the impact of wind erosion on agricultural land involve reducing wind speed, stabilising and increasing soil roughness, protecting the soil surface and minimising damage to crops.

Measures to reduce the risk of erosion fall into the following categories:

• organisational measures – optimal field shape and size, protective grass cover, strip cropping
• agrotechnical measures – improving soil structure, increasing soil moisture, direct drilling into a cover crop or stubble, mulching
• biotechnical and technical measures – artificial barriers, windbreaks

The main result of these measures is a reduction in the costs of repairing damage caused by wind erosion.

Handbook on the protection of agricultural land against erosion

The erosion monitoring system can be found here: https://me.vumop.cz/