TITLE:
Influence of Land Degradation on the Local Rate of Dust Fallout in Kuwait
AUTHORS:
Jasem M. Al-Awadhi, Ali M. Al-Dousari, Fikry I. Khalaf
KEYWORDS:
Dust Fallout, Vegetation Cover, Degraded Area, Wind Deflation
JOURNAL NAME:
Atmospheric and Climate Sciences,
Vol.4 No.3,
July
28,
2014
ABSTRACT:
The rate of dust
fallout was monitored during a period from August 2009 to July 2011 in
protected (closed) and non-protected/open (unenclosed) areas in the northern
desert of Kuwait. The dust fallout rates on degraded and protected sites were
on average 18.8 and 44.1 g·m-2·month-1, respectively.
Higher rate of dust fallout in protected area may be attributed to biologic
factors that are responsible for relative abundance of fine-grained sediment
accumulations (Mostly silty sand). Wind deflation of fine grained sediment
fractions and development of coarse-grained surface lag deposits in degraded
area may be accountable for the reduction of its potentiality for suspended
dust. The study indicates the importance of the vegetation cover in regulating
sediment availability for atmospheric dust emission.