DOI: 10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f45
title: Erosion control and habitat restoration of retired farmland in the Anza-Borrego desert

description: Improving agricultural water management in response to diminishing
 groundwater resources is crucial for sustainable land use. In Borrego
 Springs, California, state-mandated water reductions are prompting farmers
 to retire or fallow their farms permanently. However, without proper
 management, retired farmlands are vulnerable to wind erosion and dust
 emissions, which hinder restoration efforts and pose risks to human
 health. Our team conducted a study where we implemented four different
 erosion control treatments in two blocks of permanently retired citrus
 orchards. The treatments included (1) rows of mulch (the standard
 practice), (2) felled citrus trees scattered across the site, (3) fences
 made from felled citrus trees, and (4) commercial sand fences, each
 consisting of ten rows oriented to face the dominant wind direction.
 Preliminary results show average dust control efficiencies of 93% and 94%
 for the Scattered Trees and Tree Fences, respectively, implying that most
 dust emissions are controlled within these two treatments. The Scattered
 Tree treatment creates the most effective wind barrier with porosity in a
 range (28-37%) known to reduce wind speeds while minimizing soil scouring.
 The Tree Fences showed the most significant reductions in wind speeds.
 Overall, the Tree fence and Scattered Tree treatments are the most
 cost-effective choice for controlling erosion, dust emissions, and
 promoting restoration.
description: # Rehabilitating retired farmland in the Anza-Borrego Desert (2025)
 Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f45](10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f45) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The desert community of Borrego
 Springs is a groundwater-dependent community in San Diego County that is
 overdrafting its aquifer. As a result, the community is required to
 heavily reduce its water use by the year 2040. 70% of its water is used
 for agriculture and, as a result, most of the farmland will need to be
 retired. This study analyzes the use of dead orchard trees on retired
 farmland as a way of controlling wind erosion and also looks into the
 possibility of restoring native vegetation to the land. Data collected
 includes a seedbank study, a pilot seeding study, soil salinity analysis,
 wind measurements, two methods of erosion analysis, and treatment porosity
 analysis. The associated 2025 manuscript, *Erosion Control and Habitat
 Restoration in the Anza-Borrego Desert* (a Master's in Conservation
 and Restoration Science capstone report) is available upon request from
 Dr. Sarah Kimball ([skimball@uci.edu](mailto:skimball@uci.edu)) or the
 authors. ### Provenance for this README **Authors:** Ciara Cipponeri,
 Justin Wesley Felder, Martha Beatriz Gonzalez, Tory Clois Jaimez **Date
 Created:** 2025-06-03 **Date Modified:** 2025-06-14 ### Dataset
 Attribution and Usage **Dataset Title:**  Data for the project
 "Erosion Control and Habitat Restoration of Retired Farmland in the
 Anza-Borrego Desert" **Date of Issue:** 2025-06-14 **Publisher:** N/A
 **License:** CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0
 1.0). [https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/); the authors respectfully request to be contacted by researchers interested in the re-use of these data so that the possibility of collaboration can be discussed. ### Contact Information **Name:** **Martha Gonzalez** **Affiliations:** Master’s in Conservation and Restoration Science, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 **ORCID ID:** [https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5841-638X](https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5841-638X) **Email:** [marthabg@uci.edu](mailto:marthabg@uci.edu) **Name:** **Tory Jaimez** **Affiliations:** Master’s in Conservation and Restoration Science, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 **ORCID ID:** [https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6821-4488](https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6821-4488) **Email:** [tjaimez@uci.edu](mailto:tjaimez@uci.edu) **Name:** **Ciara Cipponeri** **Affiliations:** Master’s in Conservation and Restoration Science, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 **ORCID ID:** [https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7879-2914](https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7879-2914) **Email:** [ccippone@uci.edu](mailto:ccippone@uci.edu) **Name:** **Justin Felder** **Affiliations:** Master's in Conservation and Restoration Science, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 **ORCID ID:** 0009-0009-3095-1329 **Email:** [jfelder@uci.edu](mailto:jfelder@uci.edu) ### Dates and Locations **Dates of Data Collection:** Field and lab data collected between December 2024 and April 2025 **Geographic location of data collection:** Fieldwork conducted at the T2 and BWD experimental blocks within Borrego Springs, CA, 92004 (see final report for more details) ### Methodological Information **Methods of data collection/generation:** see manuscript for details ### Files and variables #### File: Wind_Data.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing measurements of wind speeds influenced by four fencing treatments at two different blocks. Data was collected by synchronizing collection efforts at four locations within a single treatment over a 2.5 minute period, all facing the same direction. ##### Variables * Date: Date of collection * Block: Site the measurement was collected from. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Location: Relative placement of collection area to prevailing wind direction. Row 0 is Upwind and all other rows are Downwind. This is redundant and was used in our own R workflow for data analysis. * Treatment: Erosion control treatment * Row: row number of treatment fence * ErosionPinNo: closest erosion pin to measurement * AvgWindSpeed: two minute average wind speed measurement in miles per hour * MaxWindSpeed: Top wind speed during two minute collection period in miles per hour * Direction_Degrees: wind compass direction during sampling (direction where wind was coming from) * Time: Time of measurement * Notes: Notes from the sampling technician * Time_avg: mean of wind speed measurements from all four collections for a given treatment at a specific time and date in miles per hour * Time_adj_avg: mean-centered value calculated as (AvgWindSpeed-Time_Avg) in miles per hour #### File: Salinity_Soil_Testing.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing measurements of soil salinity, conversion factor, and texture of samples from each experimental block. Samples were collected from a 16 square inch area dug to a depth of 15 cm. ##### Variables * Date_Tested: date of in lab salinity testing *  Block: Site the sample was collected from. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Location: Specific sampling point within site, see sampling map * EC_1:5_uS/cm: Raw measurement from standard 1:5 salinity test using probe in uS/cm * EC1:5(mS/cm): Metric unit conversion from uS/cm to mS/m * Soil_Texture: Result from soil texture by feel analysi * EC_1:5_to_Ece_conversion_factor: constant used for conversion based on soil texture * ECe(mS/m): Salinity or electrical conductivity of sample in mS/m * ECe_interpretation: salinity category based on the ECe(mS/m) measurement #### File: Porosity_Analysis.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing the fence porosity values for the sand fence, scattered tree, and tree fence treatments from the BWD and T2 blocks. The porosity values were produced using graphical analysis within MATLAB R2024b. ##### Variables * Site: which block the treatment is located in, either BWD or T2. This is equivalent to the "Block" field in other files in this repository. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Treatment: erosion control structure type * ImageName: filename of images within project folder * Porosity: porosity value produced by graphical analysis * Row: row number within treatment * TreeNum: tree that was photographed (only applicable to scattered trees) * FencePosition: position along fence where photograph was taken (only applicable to sand and tree fences) #### File: BSNE_dust_collections.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing 5 months of dust collection data from BSNE dust collectors located on various treatments in each experimental block. ##### Variables * Month: numerical month when data was collected * Year: calendar year when data was collected * Date: Date measurement was collected * Block: Block in which dust collector was located. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Treatment: Treatment in which dust collector was located * Row: Row in which dust collector was loacted * SamplerID: Identifying number label of the BSNE * Height_cm: Height off the ground from which dust was collected, BSNE dust collector had two trays, one at 20 cm height and the other at 50 cm. * Sand_Weight_g: Weight of the dust collected for each tray in grams * Dust_Control_Efficiency: Treatment efficiency at controlling dust calculated from Dust gathered upwind of Treatment x minus dust gathered downwind which is then divided by dust upwind value and multiplied by 100 % to get the percentage of dust controlled **Missing data codes:** "NA" is entered for missing data in Dust_Control_Efficiency since dust collected in upwind rows serving as control does not produce a dust control efficiency value #### File: REFARM_Maps.zip **Description:** a zip folder containing two separate Geodatabases detailing the spatial salinity of the study site, and the other detailing the treatment, dust collector, seedbank sample, and seeded subplot locations. Each Geodatabase contains its own in-depth ReadMe in the respective subfolder. **Data Format and Access:** All spatial analysis and raster processing were performed using ArcGIS Pro 3.4.0 and are readable with ArcGIS Pro or the free and open-source QGIS version 3.44.1 ([https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2025.101265](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2025.101265)). If working with QGIS, we recommend using the OpenFileGDB driver (built-in by default with version 3.44.1), which will make the Geodatabase (.gdb) directories readable. From there you can export the Geodatabase collectively as a Geopackage directory or the layers it contains as individual writeable files. ##### Files: * REFARM_Maps/REFARM_Treatments_SeedBank_BSNE: folder containing the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb and its supporting files and metadata. The geodatabase contains GIS layers detailing treatment, dust collector, seedbank sample, and seeded subplot locations, along with block and treatment boundaries. * REFARM_Maps/Salinity_Soil_Sampling: folder containing the geodatabase Salinity_Soil_Sampling.gdb and its supporting files and metadata. The geodatabase contains GIS data detailing spatial salinity interpolation of the study site. #### File: Subplot_Germination.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing seeded subplot monitoring of the abundance of specific identifiable and unidentifiable species present (both native and nonnative) of each subplot within the Mulch, Scattered Trees and Tree Fence Treatments, both the seeded and control plots, along with. Note this is a shortened version of the Subplot_CoverCounts_FullData.csv file for ease of analysis. ##### Variables * SubPlotNum: Unique plot number for each subplot. These values are arbitrary. * Block: Block in which monitoring took place. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Treatment: M = Mulch treatment, SCT = Scattered Tree treatment, TF = Tree Fence treatment * Row: row number within treatment where subplot was located * Seeded_Unseeded: Indicates whether the subplot was seeded, or left unseeded * Monocots: number of living monocots (i.e. *Schismus sp.*) * Dicots: number of living dicots * Brassica: number of living *Brassica tournefortii* * Atriplex: number of living *Atriplex spp*. * Ambrosia: number of living *Ambrosia spp*. * Citrus: number of living citrus tree resprouts * Geraea: number of living *Geraea canescens* #### File: Subplot_CoverCounts_FullData.csv **Description:** a comma-delimited file containing seeded subplot monitoring of the percent cover of each subplot within the Mulch, Scattered Trees and Tree Fence Treatments, both the seeded and control plots, along with abundance of specific identifiable and unidentifiable species present (both native and nonnative). ##### Variables * SubPlotNum: Unique plot number for each subplot * Block: Block in which monitoring took place. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Treatment: M = Mulch treatment, SCT = Scattered Tree treatment, TF = Tree Fence treatment * Row: row number within treatment where subplot was located * Seeded_Unseeded: Indicates whether the subplot was seeded, or left unseeded * LitterThatch: Percent cover of litter and thatch * Bare: Percent cover of bare ground * Rock: Percent cover of rocks * StemStump: Percent cover of stems and stumps * CoarseWoody: Percent cover of coarse woody material * PlantCover: Percent cover of any living plants * CoverTotal: Sum of all percent cover * Monocots: number of living monocots (i.e. *Schismus spp.*) * Dicots: number of living dicots * Brassica: number of living *Brassica tournefortii* * Atriplex: number of living *Atriplex spp.* * Ambrosia: number of living *Ambrosia spp.* * Citrus: number of living citrus tree resprouts * Geraea: number of living *Geraea canescens* * CountTotal: Summing total count of all seedlings found within the subplot (Monocots + Dicots + Brassica + Atriplex + Ambrosia + Citrus + Geraea) #### File: Seedbank_final.csv **Description:** A greenhouse seedbank study was conducted using soil samples gathered from the research sites. This comma-delimited file contains final count of the seedlings found in the seedbank samples, and is independent of the prior counts from weekly checks found in Seedbank_log.csv. Seedlings were removed from the samples as they were counted and identified, with the exception of some seedlings that were removed to separate pots under better growing conditions to accelerate their growth for identification. We waited for a seedling to be mature enough to identify before counting and removing. This was the file we used for most of our final seedbank reporting. ##### Variables * Observation Date: Date on which the count was first made. This is either the date at which the plant(s) was/were removed from the study having been identified, or when it was moved to its own plot to provide better growing conditions in order to identify later. * Observer: Initials of the person who found the seedling(s). * CC = Ciara Cipponeri * JF = Justin Felder * TJ = Tory Jaimez * MG = Martha Gonzalez * Collection Site: The block (BWD or T2) from which the soil sample was taken. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Point: The code for the sampling location within the block. The corresponding coordinates can be found in the BWD_Seedbank_Soil_Samples and T2_Seedbank_Soil_Samples point layers within the REFARM_Treatments_BSNE Geodatabase in the REFARM_Maps.zip folder. * Species: The species the seedlings were identified as * Count: The number of seedlings counted in the sampling instance, that being a single instance of counting a single morphospecies in a single soil sample. Counts are not redundant within the file, but may correspond to seedlings in Seedbank_log.csv. * ID Date: Date on which the seedlings were identified to species. If different from Observation Date, it denotes a situation in which the seedling was removed to a separate pot to accelerate growth for identification. * Notes: Miscellaneous notes #### File: Seedbank_log.csv **Description:** A greenhouse seedbank study was conducted using soil samples gathered from the research sites. This comma-delimited file contains the initial seedling counts including morphospecies designations prior to our ability to identify, along with identities ascribed to them later if we were able to do so. Seedlings were counted as they emerged during weekly or semiweekly checks. Some of these seedlings likely died prior to our final counts (found in Seedbank_final.csv). ##### Variables * Observation Date: Date on which the seedling(s) was/were first sighted. * Observer: Initials of the person who found the seedling(s). * CC = Ciara Cipponeri * JF = Justin Felder * TJ = Tory Jaimez * MG = Martha Gonzalez * Collection_Site: The block the sample came from, either BWD or T2. The block name is the conserved throughout all files in this repository. The name reflects the ownership history of the site and has no significance of its own. BWD is the northern of the two blocks and borders Anza-Borrego State Park. T2 is more southern and surrounded by other agricultural land. See the geodatabase REFARM_Treatments_Seedbank_BSNE.gdb in REFARM_Maps.zip for block boundaries. * Point: The code for the sampling location within the block. The corresponding coordinates can be found in the BWD_Seedbank_Soil_Samples and T2_Seedbank_Soil_Samples point layers within the REFARM_Treatments_BSNE Geodatabase in the REFARM_Maps.zip folder. * Pick Color: Color of toothpick used to identify the seedlings. * Count: The number of seedlings counted in the sampling instance, that being a single instance of counting a single morphospecies in a single soil sample. Counts are never redundant in this file. * Temp Code: Temporary code assigned to a morphospecies prior to identification * Species: Identification applied retroactively to morphospecies. These can be applied to all members with the same temp code, as we did not find any instances where bifurcation of temp codes was necessary. E.g. if one row has a temp code of UG1 and a species of Schismus barbatus, all UG1 rows may be assigned that species. * ID Date: Date on which the seedlings were identified to species. * Notes: Miscellaneous notes. These notes may predate confident identification. ## Code/software While the files in REFARM_Maps.zip are intended to be used in ESRI Software, as of 6/14/2025 they should be readable by the free QGIS ([https://www.qgis.org/](https://www.qgis.org/)).  CSV files may be read by any spreadsheet software or in raw form by a .txt reader.