40 Aeolian Systems in Time and Space

This session explores research focused on all aspects of aeolian processes and landforms, including dunes, dust, and loess in modern and ancient aeolian systems on Earth and other planets.

Sunday, 19 October 2025
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, 212AB

Spatiotemporal Variability of Aeolian Sediment Transport Across Diverse Rangeland Landscapes

Paper number: 40-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:50 PM – 2:05 PM

Authors

Abstract

Wind erosion is a critical driver of land degradation in arid and semi-arid environments. The National Wind Erosion Research Network was established in 2015 to address longstanding land management and research challenges associated with wind erosion across diverse rangelands in the western U.S. The network has allowed us to make significant advancements in standardized monitoring methods, quantifying key aeolian processes, supporting model development, and fostering collaboration within the aeolian research community. Here, we assess sediment transport rates from five vegetated rangeland sites representing a gradient of vegetation communities and surface conditions: densely vegetated grasslands, sparsely vegetated grasslands and shrublands, and a bare playa. We further evaluate the interactions among sediment transport rates, vegetation cover, and meteorological conditions using probabilistic analyses and observed sediment flux profiles. Results reveal two seasonal peaks in wind erosion potential influenced by regional weather patterns, vegetation phenology, and surface erodibility. The relative strength of these peaks depends on vegetation and soil surface characteristics. For example, while most landscapes experience the highest transport rates during spring from high winds predominantly associated with frontal systems, relatively bare landscapes affected by the summer monsoon or other convective storm activity can exhibit the highest sediment transport rates during the summer. In contrast, more vegetated sites experience the highest rates of transport during late winter and spring, often before vegetation green-up, and are less impacted by high wind speed, short duration convective events during the summer. These findings highlight the complex seasonal dynamics of wind erosion across contrasting rangeland surfaces and underscore the importance of long-term, standardized measurements for informing erosion modeling and land management practices.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413371

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