Arid and semiarid land degradation is characterized by the reduction or redistribution of vegetative production, accompanied by a similar reduction or redistribution of soil resources. Wind erosion is one mechanism that accounts for changes in soil fertility that accompany land degradation. Understanding the effects of aeolian processes on soils and vegetation in arid and semiarid lands is vital to our understanding of current controls on system dynamics as well as to predict future dynamics in the face of changing environmental conditions. The Investigators will conduct large-scale, integrated field experiments at the Jornada Basin LTER site that address the relationship between wind erosion, vegetative cover, soil nutrients, and plant function. The research will improve the understanding of the role of aeolian processes in plant-soil interactions in deserts, the role of abiotic transport in the evolution of soil patchiness, and the sources and sinks of dustborne nutrients.
