Effect of windbreaks on wind speed reduction and soil protection against wind erosion

Abstract

Windbreaks form efficient soil protection against wind erosion particularly at the time when soil cover is not protected by the cultivated plant vegetation cover. The objective of this research was to evaluate windbreaks efficiency in terms of wind speed reduction. Wind speed along the windbreaks was measured in the cadastral areas of Dobrovíz and Středokluky (Czech Republic, Central Europe). The measurement was carried out by 4 stations placed at windward side (1 station at the distance of 3 times the height of the windbreak) and at leeward side of the windbreak (3 stations at the distance of 3, 6, and 9 times the height of the windbreak). Each station contained 2 anemometers situated 0.5 and 1 m above surface. The character of windbreak was described by terrestrial photogrammetry method as the value of optical porosity from the photo documentation of the windbreak at the time of field measurement. A significant dependence between the value of optical porosity and efficiency of windbreak emerged from the results. The correlation coefficient between optical porosity and wind speed reduction was in the range of 0.842 to 0.936 (statistical significance more than 95%). A significant effect of windbreak on airflow reduction was proven on the leeward side of windbreak in a belt corresponding to approximately six times the height of the windbreaks depending on the optical porosity and it was expressed by a polynomial equation.