Effect of changes in some climatic factors on wind erosion risks – the case study of South Moravia

Abstract

The intensity of wind erosion is determined by climatic factors (wind direction and wind speed, precipitation, temperature, humidity, presence of negative temperatures), soil and geological factors (geological composition of the area, the size and shape of soil particles, soil moisture, soil structure, mechanical stability of soil), vegetation factors (vegetation cover, crop residues), geomorphological factors (shape and distribution of the slopes, the incidence planes and leeward sites) and anthropogenic factors (length and orientation of land, farming, irrigation). Potential exposure of the wind erosion can be expressed through indexes of soil susceptibility to wind erosion in conjunction with the effects of climatic factors. In connection with the fluctuating values of climatic factors induced by climate changes, differences can be expected to occur also in the size of areas threatened by wind erosion. One of the areas, most endangered by wind erosion in the Czech Republic, is South Moravia. In this region there was performed the regionalization of localities, endangered by wind erosion. This paper presents results of analysis the erosion risks according to climatic and soil characteristics statistically processed for the period from 1901–1950. These are then compared with areas endangered by wind erosion that were established based on the updated set of climatic data and its statistical processing from the period of years 1961–2000. The results are processed into map outputs by using GIS.

Keywords

• wind erosion
• climatic change
• soil characteristics