Spatiotemporal variations and driving factors for potential wind erosion on the Mongolian Plateau

Wind erosion can cause desertification and sandstorms in arid and semiarid areas. However, quantitative studies of the dynamic changes in wind erosion over long time periods are relatively rare, and this knowledge gap hinders our understanding of desertification under the conditions of a changing climate. Here, we selected the Mongolian Plateau as the study area. Using the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) model, we assessed the spatial and temporal dynamics of wind erosion on the Mongolian Plateau from 1982 to 2018. Our results showed that the wind erosion intensity on the Mongolian Plateau increased from northeast to southwest. The annual mean wind erosion modulus was 46.5 t·ha-1 in 1982-2008, with a significant decline at a rate of -5.1 t·ha-1·10 yr-1. The intensity of wind erosion was the strongest in spring, followed by autumn and summer, and was weakest in winter. During 1982-2018, wind erosion showed a significant decreasing trend in all seasons except winter. The wind erosion contribution of spring to the total annual wind erosion significantly increased, while that of summer significantly decreased. These results can help decision-makers identify high-risk areas of soil erosion on the Mongolian Plateau and take effective measures to adapt to climate change.