Global Wind Erosion Reduction Driven by Changing Climate and Land Use

Abstract

While significant progress has been achieved in researching water erosion, our understanding of global patterns and the magnitude of wind soil erosion remains limited. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment using the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) of the global rates and long-term trends (1982–2019) of wind erosion using a spatially explicit (0.05° × 0.05°) quantitative model. On average, in this study global wind erosion caused 312.5 Pg yr⁻¹ of soil loss, with a decreasing trend of 1.04 ± 0.48 Pg yr⁻¹ (p < 0.05) during 1982–2019. Excluding stable regions, approximately 36% of the modeled areas exhibit a significant decrease in wind erosion, accounting for 3.13 ± 0.18 Pg yr⁻¹, while only 9% experience a notable increase, amounting for 1.83 ± 0.16 Pg yr⁻¹. The decrease of wind erosion primarily occurs in the southern hemispheres. Notably, wind erosion decreases considerably in grassland and cropland, while it remains unchanged in dryland. Although grassland and cropland account for only 11% and 1.8% of the total erosion, they contribute to 68% and 17% of the total erosion reduction, respectively. This study highlights global wind stilling and vegetation greening as important factors contributing to the decline in wind erosion and offers valuable insights into the intricate relationship between climate change and terrestrial ecosystems, including carbon sequestration and agricultural productivity.