Wind erosion gradient patterns of Mongolian Plateau

Abstract

Wind erosion is one of the major environmental problems in semi-arid and arid regions. Here we established a transect from northwest (Tariat, Mongolia) to southeast (Xilingol, Inner Mongolia of China) across the Mongolian Plateau, and estimated the soil wind erosion gradient patterns by using the 137Cs tracing technique. In the Mongolia section, the wind erosion rate increased gradually with vegetation type and climatic regimes, controlled by physical factors such as annual precipitation and vegetation coverage, etc. While in the Inner Mongolia section, the wind erosion rates were thrice as much as those of Bayannur of Mongolia. Besides the physical factors, higher population density and livestock carrying level should be responsible for the higher wind erosion rates in Inner Mongolia.