Windbreak Efficiency in Agricultural Landscape of the Central Europe: Multiple Approaches to Wind Erosion Control

Abstract

Windbreak is one of the key factors for making the agriculture systems successful through reduced wind erosion, improved microclimate, increased biodiversity, and production potentiality of timber and agricultural crops. Even though windbreak occupies only a small part of agricultural landscape, its advantages on the ecological and economical perspective are quite high. This study evaluated the effects of three windbreak types on the wind erosion control in relation to their structural diversities, wind-speed reduction, and optical porosities in the central part of the Czech Republic. Diversity in the windbreak was evaluated based on its species diversity, vertical structure, spatial pattern, and complexities. Wind speed was measured at the different distances on the leeward side of the windbreak and one station placed on the windward side as a control. Windbreak characteristics were described by terrestrial photogrammetry method using the values of optical porosity. The timber volume of the windbreaks with rich biodiversity species ranged from 224 to 443 m haheight of the windbreak on the. Results of the windbreak efficiency showed significantly closer relationship between optical porosity and structural indices. The optical porosity significantly correlated with wind-speed reduction, especially in the lower part of the windbreak. A significant dependency of the windbreak efficiency on the tree dominant height was also observed for each windbreak type. The most significant effect on the wind-speed reduction in terms of structural indices had total diversity index and Arten-profile index describing vertical structures, which are recommended together with the optical porosity to evaluate the windbreak efficiency in controlling wind erosion.

Functions of Windbreaks in the Landscape Ecological Network and Methods of Their Evaluation

“…The most significant effect on the wind speed reduction in terms of structural indices was found in the total diversity index and Arten-profile index describing vertical structures, which are recommended, along with the optical porosity, to be evaluated in assessing the windbreak efficiency in controlling wind erosion [28]. Other authors deal with the effect of windbreaks on the surrounding microclimate, finding it favourable for both field crops and the effects on humidity and temperature of the surrounding air and soil [5,29,30]. The appearance and function of windbreaks are positively impacted by selecting a mix of conifers and deciduous trees and shrubs [31].…”

A review of ecological mechanisms for management practices of protective forests

“…Non-shelterbelt forests (e.g., water and soil conservation forests and sand stabilization forests) play an important role in preventing water and soil erosion by intercepting rainfall by the canopy, reducing splash by litter and the understory, and limiting soil particle movement by the root systems (Zhao et al 2015) and controlling desertification by reducing wind erosion (Wang 2004;Vacek et al 2018). Most studies show that the canopy could intercept 10-40% of gross rainfall (Miralles et al 2010;Li et al 2017), which is influenced not only by rainfall events but also by the OSP, vegetation types, stand composition, and stand age.…”

“…For example, canopy interception loss of water and soil conservation forests decreased with increasing the OSP (Limousin et al 2008;Park and Cameron 2008), and natural vegetation has a gradually increased effect on water and soil conservation from natural grasslands to shrubs and trees (Zhao et al 2015). In addition, wind erosion control by sand stabilization forests was influenced by vegetation coverage, structure, and distribution pattern (Vacek et al 2018). Several studies showed that vegetation coverage above a certain threshold could protect surface soil, reduce wind speeds, and thus prevent dust entrainment and transport in the process of wind erosion (Huang et al 2001;Amichev et al 2015).…”

Scenarios to reduce evaporation from class A evaporation pan by using windbreaks

“…This was done by measuring wind speed for different distances before the fenders, and after the fenders, a station was set as a source of control. The results of the experiment showed that the height and porosity of the fenders play an important and influential role in reducing the wind speed (Vacek et al, 2018).…”