Journal of Hunan Ecological Science

【Objective】The purpose of this study is to investigate the quantitative relationship of soil wind erosion suppression after vegetation construction on mobile sand dunes in Ningxia Shapotou National Nature Reserve, in order to provide theoretical basis for formulating reasonable wind prevention and sand fixation plans in arid areas of China. 【Method】Three observation points were set up in each of the three mobile sand dunes in Ningxia Shapotou National Nature Reserve, and the movement of mobile sand dunes was observed by the insertion method. At the same time, indoor wind tunnel experiments were conducted to observe the erosion changes of the undisturbed soil collected from the Salix psammophila planting area, the Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica planting area, and the Artemisia ordosica, Hedysarum scoparium, Ca- ragana microphylla and C. korshinskii planting areas, as well as every control undisturbed soil under dif- ferent wind speeds. 【Result】The mobile sand dunes in Ningxia Shapotou National Nature Reserve moved 3. 23 meters average in one wind season. Under different wind speeds in the wind tunnel, the wind ero- sion modulus of the soil samples in the Salix psammophila planting area decreased by 96. 78% compared to the control at a wind speed of 15 m/ s and by 97. 07% at a wind speed of 20 m/ s; Under wind speeds of 10, 15, and 20 m/ s, the wind erosion modulus of the soil samples in the Pinus sylvestris var. mongoli- ca planting area was reduced by 53. 13% , 99. 61% , 99. 84% compared to the control, while the wind e- rosion modulus of the soil samples in the Artemisia ordosica, Hedysarum scoparium, Caragana microphylla and C. korshinskii planting area was reduced by 50. 00% , 65. 01% , 3. 65% compared to the control. 【Conclusion】In Ningxia Shapotou National Nature Reserve, the use of straw checkerboard barri- ers and artificial vegetation planting on mobile sand dunes can promote the formation of surface biological crust, thereby soil wind erosion is greatly reduced. In order to promote the ecological restoration in Chi- na, we should attach great importance to the role of biological crusts in preventing soil wind erosion when carrying out plant sand fixation in arid and semi-arid areas.

fixed sand land; artificial vegetation; wind tunnel experiments; Ningxia Shapotou Na- tional Nature Reserve