Spatial modeling of the effects of deflation destruction of the steppe soils of Ukraine

Abstract

The decrease in the agricultural efficiency is associated with the influence of wind erosion, the consequence of which is a decrease in the soil fertility. Significant effects of wind erosion are typical of the arid and semi arid zones with a small amount of precipitation, high air temperature and degree of evaporation, reinforced by strong winds and low differentiation of plant protection. It has been proven that the intensity of the effects of deflation processes depends on the physical and geographical conditions of the distribution of agricultural land, systematic soil protection activities and the availability of vegetation. It has been established that the acceleration of the deflation processes occurs in the territories with increased anthropogenic pressure, which leads to ecological disturbance of the natural balance characterizing territorial ecosystems. In the course of the studies it was found that the natural processes of wind erosion are significantly enhanced by the absence of a scientifically-based and ecological land development system of agriculture, which leads to destruction of the soil cover, reduction of soil fertility, damage to the agricultural crops and, thus, the economic damage. As a result of application of the GIS and ERS technologies, the empirical-statistical model of the possible soil loss due to wind erosion in the territory of the Steppe zone of Ukraine, it has been found that in the course of the deflation processes in the territory taken by naked fallow upon the absence of the conditions for the deflation resistance activities, the value of soil loss at the epicenter of dust storms can reach about 600 t / ha. Studies proved the importance of the deflation resistant action of the vegetation cover, which tends to an increase in the erosion dangerous (favorable) areas of agricultural land by 1.7 times, which reduces the soil loss by 5.62 times. In accordance with the intensity of the effects of the deflation processes and the increase of the soil losses, the contour and land development deflation resistance activities with elements of soil protection agriculture were proposed.