Soil Carbon and Nutrient Losses From Farmland Wind Erosion and Required Fertilizer Compensation in the North China Plain

Abstract

Farmland wind erosion causes significant losses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and essential nutrients, reducing soil fertility, diminishing crop yields, and causing long‐term environmental degradation. Unclear relationships between nutrient losses and fertilizer compensation hinder effective soil conservation strategies. Here, we quantified the losses of SOC, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) using the parameterized Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) model for the North China Plain (NCP). Model validation showed a strong correlation between simulated and observed dust fluxes (R = 0.80, RMSE = 0.98 g m−2 30s−1, p < 0.001), confirming its reliability in the NCP. Results indicated that approximately 0.162 t km−2 of SOC, 0.018 t km−2 of N, and 0.015 t km−2 of P were lost annually, threatening soil fertility and productivity. Compensating these losses solely with fertilizers would require 0.038 t km−2 of urea and 0.212 t km−2 of superphosphate each year. These findings provide critical insights for policymakers and farmers in implementing sustainable land management strategies to mitigate soil degradation.