Eolian sediment transport on North Carolina coastal plain agricultural fields

The coastal plain of the eastern United States has long been viewed as an area unaffected by wind erosion. However, high winds in the spring, sandy soils, and local farming practices suggest that soil erosion by wind may be a bigger problem than expected. Field studies conducted in eastern North Carolina provide data about eolian sediment transport, quantifying the role of wind processes in agricultural field soil loss. Eolian sediment flux ranged from 5.5 to 139 kg ha(-1) h(-1) in seven events monitored over a 9-year period. The range in sediment flux seems to be related to a combination of soil types and antecedent moisture conditions on the fields. The study reveals that eolian processes are sufficiently frequent and sufficiently powerful to produce long-term redistribution of sediment on coastal plain fields resulting in the truncation of the soil profile. The continued long-term loss of soil from the fields has potential repercussions on their productivity.