Variation in grain-size characteristics of simulated shrubs as a novel sand-barrier in a wind tunnel experiment

Zhenyi Wang; Xia Pan; Limin Yuan; Yong Gao; Xiaohong Dang; Haiguang Huang

doi:10.1177/00368504211009368

Variation in grain-size characteristics of simulated shrubs as a novel sand-barrier in a wind tunnel experiment

Sci Prog. 2021 Apr-Jun;104(2):368504211009368. doi: 10.1177/00368504211009368.

Authors

Zhenyi Wang¹, Xia Pan¹, Limin Yuan^{2

3}, Yong Gao^{1

4}, Xiaohong Dang^{1

5}, Haiguang Huang^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
² Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
³ Inner Mongolia Duolun Hunshandake Sand Ecosystem Research Station, Xilingol, Inner Mongolia, China.
⁴ Wind Erosion Key Laboratory of Central and Government, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
⁵ National Positioning Observation Research Station of Hangjin Desert Ecosystem, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China.

Abstract

Sand transport is the main manifestation of sand damage in the arid and semiarid regions globally. It is a huge challenge to stabilize mobile sandy and change them into stable productive ecosystems. The establishment of simulated shrubs is one of the most effective measures to solve the above difficulties as a novel sand-barrier. To clarify simulated shrubs' role in the process of ecological restoration. It will be greatly helpful to incorporate the shelter device proposed in the present work into landscape models for aeolian soil transport, to optimize the parameters associated with the sand-barrier characteristics for aeolian soil stabilization at the field scale. A series of wind tunnel experiments were conducted to analyze the variations of soil grain-size of simulated shrubs with different spatial configurations, row spaces, and net wind speeds. Further, the soil grain-size parameters were calculated by the classic method proposed by Folk and Ward to clarify the change of soil particles resulted from the blocking effects. The average grain-size content of simulated shrubs with different spatial configurations, row spaces, and net wind speeds was dominated by medium sand and fine sand, and the total percentage was more than 90%. Moreover, the sand deposition of simulated shrubs with different spatial configurations increased with the improvement of wind speeds. The average sand deposition of spindle-shaped simulated shrubs in 17.5 × 17.5 cm and broom-shaped simulated shrubs in 17.5 × 26.25 cm under different net wind speeds was the least. The effects of row spaces on average grain-size parameters increased with the improvement of net wind speeds. By calculating the correct characteristics of specific shelter devices proposed in the present work, all of these findings suggest that the application of simulated shrubs will be an important component to further extend ecological engineering projects in arid and semiarid regions.

Keywords: Simulated shrubs; grain-size parameters; sand deposition; spatial configurations; wind tunnel experiment.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Ecosystem*
Sand*
Soil

Substances

Sand
Soil