Conclusions
Soil clay content is one of the primary intrinsic soil properties
affecting wind erodibility. We found clay amendment significantly
impacted crust crushing energy. Crust crushing energy increased with
increasing clay amendment (over a range of 0 to 16%) for types found
across iPNW. Soil loss from a disturbed crust surface significantly
decreased with increasing clay amendment. This can be primarily due to
the change in aggregate GMD, followed by aggregate crushing energy, the
latter of which influence vertical abrasion flux. Vertical abrasion flux
significantly decreased with increasing clay amendment and aggregate
crushing energy. Clay amendment was more effective in decreasing
vertical abrasion flux for two sandy loams than two silt loams. The rate
of change in vertical abrasion flux was more sensitive for soil types
with weak crusts. The change in vertical abrasion flux appears to the
same pattern with the change of soil loss caused by clay amendment.
Vertical abrasion flux from erodible aggregates is the important source
of soil loss for soil surface in the presence of weak aggregates.