Autor:innen:
Moritz Koza | Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Geoecology | Germany
Dr. Julia Pöhlitz | Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Geoecology
Dr. Roger Funk | Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Landscape Pedology
Prof. Dr. Christopher Conrad | Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Geoecology | Germany
Dr. Tobias Meinel | Amazonen-Werke H. Dreyer SE & Co. KG, TOO Amazone Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan
Kanat Akshalov | Barayev Research and Production Center, Soil and Crop Management | Kazakhstan
Dr. Gerd Schmidt | Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Geoecology | Germany
Central Asia's semi-arid ecosystems are prone to wind erosion due to extreme climate conditions and increasing agricultural use. The influence of different row crops on this wind erosion risk in the dry steppe of Kazakhstan has not been investigated so far. Therefore, in situ investigations have been carried out with a mobile wind tunnel in Northern Kazakhstan. The on-site experiment was conducted on Chernozems under fallow and cultivation. Arable plots with Barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Corn (Zea mays) represent typical crops of the study area. The research aims are: (1) Comparing biological (plant physiology) and technological (tillage intensity, plant density, tractor tracks) parameters on the intensity and composition of the erosion fluxes. (2) Assessing the losses of soil quality by soil organic carbon loss and depositions of coarse materials in the fields and the field boundaries due to wind erosion by analyzing topsoil and aeolian sediments.
Results of the wind tunnel studies conducted in the dry steppe of Kazakhstan are shown. They prove the expected differences between crop types and tillage intensity and provide first suggestions to prevent wind erosion.