Int. J. of Sustainable Water & Environmental Systems Volume 1, No. 1 (2010) 25-28 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +903322232057 Fax: +903324210635; E-mail: sdursun@selcuk.edu.tr © 2010 International Association for Sharing Knowledge and Sustainability DOI: 10.5383/swes.0101.006 25 Vegetative Methods to Prevent Wind Erosion in Central Anatolia Region Ramazan Acar a , Sukru Dursun b * a Selcuk University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Agronomy, Konya-Turkey b Selcuk University, Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Konya-Turkey Abstract Wind erosion is the phenomenon of transportation of worn-away soils and their accumulation in any other place by the action of wind. Wind erosion affecting factors are human affect and natural factors and those natural factors are climate, soil and vegetation. Widespread wind erosion areas in Turkey are the arid and semi-arid areas. Those areas are located in South-East- Anatolia and Central-Anatolia region in Turkey. Wind erosion formation of the total area is of 465,913 ha, approximately 70% of these (322,474 ha) is located within the borders of Konya Closed Basin. The main factors of effective wind erosion creation in Central Anatolia; annual less and disorderly being rainfall amount, high wind blowing, early and over-grazing, using some plants as fuel, inappropriate land use, unsuitable machinery and equipment. Wind erosion area of Konya-Karapınar the reclamation work in the field as the continuation of each other was conducted in two stages. First physical measure (reed-screen curtains), the second is cultural measures (planting and reforestation). Cultural measures are used as herbs (Agropyron cristatum, Onobrychis sativa, etc.) and trees are (Elaeagnus sp., Fraxinus sp. Robinia pseudeaccucia, etc.), which dry and hot-resistant plants were selected plantation. There are two different kinds helpful of vegetation in the erosion area. One is biologically and other is mechanical. The biological benefits increase soil organic matter and soil structure formation to serve. Mechanical benefits are breaking wind speed against to prevent erosion. In this study, Konya Closed Basin was examined in terms of meteorological, soil and vegetation, in the direction of desertification prevention. The work done by the success of the new measures has been put forward to be taken. Obtained developing alternatives have been successfully applied to the rest of the desert climate, in or other the regions. Keywords: Desertification, Xerophyt plants, Wind erosion, Konya, Soil, Sand. 1. Introduction Wind erosion generally occur at flat topography of arid and semi-arid climatic zones and in areas close to the level, in light and medium soil structure, soil when dry and plant absent coverage [1] . It has also damaged the place moved up where eroded soil. For this reason, it should be trying to stop at the where point starts. Wind erosion problem often occurred places in Turkey are located widespread areas of arid and semi-arid regions. Large parts of this area are included in the mid- Anatolian region (98%) and especially in the Konya province (69%) (Table I). Wind erosion areas, according wind erosion severity of the Konya province and Turkey and the distribution is shown in Table II. Karapınar land (103.000 ha, 22.1%) is the most important place for wind erosion problem in Konya districts even Konya province in Turkey [3]. The formation of wind erosion influential factors in the region; • An ancient lake bed and surface area of the lake dried out, the base of the dunes and the land is suitable for convection. • It is hot climate and dry terms (total rainfall 260-280 mm per year, mean. annual temperature 11-12 Co), wind and rainfall are irregular. • It is created an excessive number of animals; pasture early, excessive and unplanned grazing. • Unsuitable cultivation and usage of the wrong tool machines [3,5,6,]. Climate and soil characteristics of The greatest wind erosion occurring Karapınar and around places are as follows. The area consist of alluvial, colluvial, sieorezem and regosol soils which have a texture of light sandy loam on upper layers and of heavy clay on lower layers. They are rich in lime and potash and poor in organic material and phosphorous. Climate of the region can be defined as semi-arid continental. The summers are dry and have warm day-temperatures, followed by cold