Windbreak and airflow performance of different synthetic shrub designs based on wind tunnel experiments

Xia Pan; Zhenyi Wang; Yong Gao; Zhengcai Zhang; Zhongjv Meng; Xiaohong Dang; Liqiang Lu; Jiahuan Chen

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0244213

Windbreak and airflow performance of different synthetic shrub designs based on wind tunnel experiments

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 28;15(12):e0244213. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244213. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Xia Pan¹, Zhenyi Wang¹, Yong Gao^{1

2}, Zhengcai Zhang³, Zhongjv Meng^{1

2}, Xiaohong Dang^{1

4}, Liqiang Lu¹, Jiahuan Chen¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
² Wind Erosion Key Laboratory of Central and Government, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
⁴ National Positioning Observation Research Station of Hangjin Desert Ecosystem, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

Abstract

Wind erosion has gained increasing attention as one of the most serious global ecological and environmental threats. Windbreaks are effective at decreasing wind erosion by reducing wind speed to protect crops, livestock, and farmsteads, while providing wildlife habitats. Synthetic shrubs can act as novel windbreaks; however, there is limited knowledge on how their design affects wind speed. This study determined the protective effects (airflow field and sheltering efficiency) based on the design of synthetic shrubs in a wind tunnel. Broom-shaped synthetic shrubs weakened the wind speeds mainly at the middle and upper parts of the shrubs (5-14 cm), while for hemisphere-shaped shrubs this effect was greatest near their bases (below 4 cm) and least in the middle and upper parts (7-14 cm). Spindle-shaped synthetic shrubs provided the best reduction effect in wind range and strength. Moreover, the wind speed reduction ratio decreased with improved wind speeds and ranged from 26.25 cm (between the second and third rows) to 52.5 cm (after the third row). These results provide strong evidence that synthetic shrubs should be considered to decrease wind speed and prevent wind erosion.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Computer Simulation
Environment Design*
Trees / physiology*
Wind*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China: Action Mechanism Research on Ecology Spatial Configuration of Desert Shrub to the Formation and Development of Fertile Island (41967009), the 10th "Prairie Talents" of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (PC201907220608), and the China Scholarship Council (201908150155). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.