# Fate of Soil Carbon Transported by Erosional Processes
## 4 Soil Erosion and the Global Carbon Budget
### Wind Erosion and Gaseous Emissions  
Similar to hydric erosion, wind erosion is also a selective process and involves preferential removal of light and colloidal fractions such as SOC and SIC constituents of the surface layer. The CER for windblown dust for rangeland in western Queensland, Australia is reported at 1 to 2 for sandy soil and 9 to 41 for clayey soil [37]. Dust may contain as much as 15-20% of SOC content. In addition to gaseous emissions and loss of soil productivity, the dust generated by wind erosion is a serious environmental hazard in arid and semi-arid climates. Among vegetative barriers (windbreaks and shelterbells) and mulch farming systems (e.g., CA), enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation is also used to stabilize loose soil that creates dust. To stabilize loose soil and mitigate dust in Khuzestan, Iran, [PERSON] et al. [38] used a soybean enzyme, which is reportedly much easier and more economical to prepare than that from leek bean.  
The problem of wind erosion is no longer confined to developing countries. Indeed, wind erosion is also a serious issue even in northern Germany, and on Histosols throughout the U.S. In northern Germany, [PERSON] et al. [13] reported that soils under maize monoculture are prone to severe wind erosion. [PERSON] and colleagues reported that SOC stock decreased by 49.4 and 2.44 kg/m\({}^{2}\) from 1999 to 2009. Total soil loss by wind erosion during 16 events was 48.9 kg/m\({}^{2}\), and suspended material had a CER of 2.96 (compared with CER of 0.98 for saltation). Soil erosion loss in a single event can be as much as 12.6 kg/m\({}^{2}\). Histosols,with soil organic matter (SOM) content of >20% in the upper 80 cm profile, cover 21 M ha in 42 states of the U.S. [25]. Intensively cultivated Histosols are prone to wind erosion with adverse impact on productivity and degradation of the environment (i.e., soil, water, air, vegetation). Particle density of Histosols can be i-1.6 Mg/m\({}^{3}\). Dust emissions are common on plowed/dry Histosols [25].  
In Adam County, Washington, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [39] assessed the wind erosion hazard by using the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) at 14.25 Mg soil/ha yr. (6.4 tn/ac\(\cdot\)yr) and a severe PM10 (particulate matter at <10 micron m in diameter) loss. Wind erosion affects ~20 Mha of land in Iran, and also affects GHG emissions from soil. Based on experiments conducted at the Iran Research Institute of Forests and Ranges, [PERSON] et al. [40] reported that the highest rate of CO\({}_{2}\) emissions in July was 4.90 g CO\({}_{2}\)/m\({}^{2}\)-d in severely eroded lands and the lowest in January of 0.086 g CO\({}_{2}\)/m\({}^{2}\)-d in less eroded lands. [PERSON] and colleagues hypothesized that increase in erosion intensity aggravated CO\({}_{2}\) emission rates at severe erosion.  
A study on soil losses from spring dust emissions in northern China by [PERSON] et al. [41] indicated that losses of SOC, total N and total P in spring were 0.985 \(\pm\) 0.149, 0.094 \(\pm\) 0.014 and 0.089 \(\pm\) 0.013 Tg/yr., respectively. However, the fate of SOC, TN, etc., is not known. In Australia, [PERSON] et al. [42] estimated SOC dust emission at 5083 Tg CO\({}_{2}\) eq/yr. for the country and 0.4 Tg CO\({}_{2}\) eq/yr. for agricultural soils. [PERSON] and colleagues concluded that omission of SOC dust emission from C cycling and C accounting is a significant source of uncertainty in the GCB. Thus, quantification of the release of CO\({}_{2}\) from SOC dust to the atmosphere and contribution of SOC deposition to downward C sinks is essential.