Abstract:

This study compiles detailed soil wind erosion statistics across the Hexi Corridor， providing a scientific foundation for municipal governments to formulate targeted wind erosion prevention strategies. By supplementing a gravel coverage factor to the wind erosion equation of grassland or shrub land， this paper obtained the soil wind erosion equation of the gobi surface， thereby improving the soil wind erosion model used in the first water resources census of China. Making use of the improved model， the spatial distribution and the inter-annual variation of soil wind erosion in the Hexi Corridor from 2000 to 2023 were investigated. The results show that the average wind erosion modulus in the Hexi Corridor was 27.74 t·hm^-2·a^-1， with significant spatial variation in soil wind erosion. The southeast and central regions are predominantly characterized by slight and mild wind erosion， while the Minqin oasis and desert areas in the northeast experience moderate to extremely intense soil wind erosion， with the area of extremely intense soil wind erosion reaching 3 218 km². In the western deserts and gobi regions， where sand and gravel landscapes are interwoven， soil wind erosion exhibits extreme spatial heterogeneity， with the area of severe wind erosion reaching 14 840 km². From 2000 to 2023， the wind erosion modulus generally showed a fluctuating downward trend， but wind erosion intensity has rebounded since 2020. During this period， the years 2001 and 2010 recorded the most severe wind erosion with the modulus of 46.52 t·hm^-2·a^-1 and 38.52 t·hm^-2·a^-1， respectively， which is primarily driven by the poorest vegetation coverage and the strongest wind force.

Key words: Hexi Corridor, soil wind erosion, soil wind erosion model