Wind tunnel simulation of ridge-tillage effects on soil erosion from cropland

In the arid and semi-arid regions, ridge tillage was often used as an alternative practice for wind erosion control on the croplands without sufficient crop residues left during the fallow period. Through wind tunnel experiments, wind erosion rate and vertical mass flux profile of blown sand under the simulated conditions of ridge tillage and flat tillage were studied in 15, 10, 10, 5, 3 min exposures at the wind velocities of 8, 10, 15, 20, 24 m s−1, respectively. The results for the soil tested indicate that the mean rate of wind erosion under flat tillage was 129.89 g m−2 min−1, while that under ridge tillage were 20–60% less. Under ridge tillage with different structures, average wind erosion rate had a positive correlation with the spacing between adjacent ridges. For the same ridge height, average wind erosion rate decreased with increasing ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow. For the same ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow, average wind erosion rate increased with increasing height of ridge. Power function relationships were found between wind erosion rate and wind velocity on all the simulated tillage conditions. A wind velocity of 15 m s−1 was the critical velocity, above which wind erosion rate increased rapidly for the soil and simulated tillage conditions tested. Compared with flat tillage, ridge tillage remarkably decreased wind erosion rates when wind velocities were beyond 15 m s−1. Under ridge tillage, the total mass of sand transported at a height of 0–20 cm above soil surface (Q0–20), and the fraction of that travelling at a height of 0–4 cm (Q0–4/Q0–20), were less man mat under flat tillage. For the same ridge height, Q0–4/Q0–20 increased with increasing ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow. For the same ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow, Q0–4/Q0–20 decreased with increasing height of the ridge. Sand transport rate under flat tillage decreased with increasing height by a negative exponential function, while negative linear functions were found under ridge tillage. Thus ridge tillage decreased the rate of wind erosion and sand transportation near soil surface, reduced the loss of soil nutrient caused by wind erosion and plant damage caused by blown sand abrasion, which make it an effective agricultural technology for wind erosion control in the arid and semi-arid regions.