Aeolian sand flow characteristics and erosion mechanism of the disturbed stubble-soil complex after straw harvesting

With the growing threat of wind erosion in global dryland agricultural systems, the microscale mechanisms by which mechanical operations disturb soil and reshape near-surface aeolian sand flow remain insufficiently understood. To address this issue, this study investigates the stubble-soil complex (SSC) under different disturbance states following straw harvesting. A combined laser-scattering and long-exposure imaging technique was applied to capture the trajectories of wind-driven sand particles over SSC surfaces. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to obtain data on vertical sand transport, particle-size distributions, and surface erosion-deposition morphology. In turn, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were integrated with the experiments to enable a multidimensional analysis of SSC surface responses across disturbance states. Results show that SSC disturbance exposes subsurface soil, generating new sand-dust sources that increase erosion risk and drive the near-surface sand flow toward bare-soil characteristics. Under strong winds, the maximum saltation height decreased from 9.53 cm to 4.09 cm, while the ejection angle declined from 70.46 degrees to 34.55 degrees. Sand transport was concentrated in the 0-8 cm near-surface high-flux layer, exhibiting a typical power-law relationship with height; the dominant sources were unconsolidated particles of 50-250 mu m. Maximum surface erosion depth exceeded 5 mm, and the proportion of high-threshold (>= 5 mm) deposition areas increased with disturbance intensity. This study elucidates the response mechanisms of SSC disturbance induced by mechanical operations on farmland wind erosion, and highlights the importance of controlling soil disturbance at the source and maintaining stubble-soil structural integrity. The findings provide significant guidance for improving farming practices and developing precise farmland conservation policies in dryland agricultural systems.