Study on conservation effectiveness of reed sand barrier with different types

Sand barrier is one of the important measures to mitigate the surface wind erosion and protect the surface vegetation. In order to select the suitable mode of reed sand barrier for controlling wind and sand in Hulun Lake Basin, six types of reed sand barriers were set up including three belt sand barriers with the banded row spacing of 1 m, 1.5 m, 2 m and the square sand barriers of 1 m × 1 m, 1.5 m × 1.5 m, 2 m × 2 m. Four indexes including wind prevention efficiency, soil moisture content, surface evaporation, and the growth of ecological restoration species in sand barriers were selected to evaluate the ecological protection achievement of six types of reed sand barriers. The results showed that the ecological protection achievement of square reed sand barriers were higher than that of belt reed sand barriers. The average windbreak efficiency, soil surface moisture content and surface evaporation of square reed sand barriers from high to low were: 1 m × 1 m > 1.5 m × 1.5 m > 2 m × 2 m. The analysis of the ability vegetation growth of Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn., Elymus dahuricus Turcz. ex Griseb. in Ledeb., and Caragana microphylla Lam. in the six types of reed sand barrier showed that Agropyron cristatum grew well in the 1 m×1 m square reed sand barrier. The preferred measure of sandy land control in Hulun Lake basin was the 1.0 m×1.0 m reed sand barrier planting Agropyron cristatum, which could inhibit wind speed and reduce soil moisture loss, and provide theoretical basis and practical reference for the restoration of sandy grassland in this area.