Revegetation Techniques and Fugitive Dust in the Western Mojave Desert

摘要

In the Antelope Valley of the Mojave Desert, tillage and seeding of native shrubs211u001ereduced emissions of fugitive dust from disturbed lands by more than 95%, 211u001eachieving ground cover comparable to surrounding old field successional areas. 211u001eWind fences, furrowing across the wind, and widely spaced roughness elements were 211u001ealso found to be effective for suppression of fugitive dust emissions. 211u001eRevegetation by direct seeding was successful in one year with high rainfall but 211u001ewas not reproducible in other years using the same techniques, nor in small plot 211u001etrials of many species with or without irrigation. Rangeland drilling or 211u001ebroadcast seeding on untilled surfaces were as effective in some years as tillage 211u001eand seeding, and were less disruptive to natural shrub establishment processes. 211u001ePlant survival exhibited large location effects, attributed to level of previous 211u001esoil disturbance, which affected bulk density, nutrient status, and 211u001emicroorganisms populations. Plastic cones placed over transplants increased plant 211u001esurvival.