Soilworks products are the industry’s top standard due to our insistence on creating high performance soil stabilization and dust control products that stand up to rigorous testing – both in the lab and in the field. Our commitment to quality and performance has led to our involvement and testing in hundreds of real-world situations. The following library of reports, presentations, specifications, approvals and other similar documents provide you, our customer, the transparency and dependable assurance that is expected from Soilworks.
A University of Arizona study examined various methods for mitigating wind erosion in the Sonoran Desert, evaluating the effectiveness of soil stabilizers and organic amendments. The research reviewed current best management practices (BMPs), including synthetic polymer stabilizers like Gorilla-Snot. The study noted that synthetic polymers provide immediate surface stabilization but do not promote long-term plant growth, making them ideal for short-term dust control but requiring complementary strategies for permanent soil health improvement. Other methods, such as compost, biochar, and microbial soil amendments, were explored as long-term solutions for stabilizing barren lands.
For dust suppression, temporary soil stabilization, and erosion control in desert environments, Gorilla-Snot delivers a proven, field-tested solution. Contact Soilworks for technical specifications and customized application strategies.
Potential for Mitigating Wind Erosion in the Sonoran Desert Using Organic Amendments and Microbes to Build Soil Aggregates
Joseph Blankinship
University of Arizona
jblankinship@email.arizona.edu
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Soil, Water and Environmental Services
(Presentation)
Why should we all care about barren lands?
Soil Aerosols
Malm et al. (1994) Journal of Geophysical Research
We can’t not talk about water erosion
Belnap et al. (2011) Ecohydrology
Arizona Department of Public Safety
Field et al. (2012) The ecology of dust. Frontiers in Ecology Environment
New solutions are needed!
Currently available BMPs for barren lands
q Mechanical treatment (e.g., berms)
Underlying soil structural instability is not fixed
Currently available BMPs for barren lands
Not guaranteed beyond 3 years;
Do not promote plant growth
Soil Sement applied next to Interstate-10 between Tucson and Phoenix, AZ
Currently available BMPs for barren lands
q Critical area planting
Limited success with “plant-centric” practices in arid regions,
likely because soil health is not improved
Motivating Research Question for the Remainder fo My Talk
revegetating barren arid soils by explicitly considering
organic matter and the soil microbiome?
“jump starting” barren systems in the Desert Southwest?
Ground zero for needing soil “probiotics?”
Water-Stable Soil Aggregate
Macroaggregate separation by wet sieving
Barren lands are aggregate-poor
Blankinship et al. (In prep)
Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS)
Enmeshment by Fungi
Obligatory Box & Arrow Diagram
Obligatory Box & Arrow Diagram
Benefits of Using Organic Amendments in Dust Mitigation Projects
q Promotes soil structure directly
q Improves microclimate by covering soil and slowing H2O
q Carbon source for carbon-starved soil microbes
q Nutrient source for potentially nutrient-starved plants
Wood Mulch
Compost + Mulch
Compost + Biochar
Augmenting the Soil Microbiome Directly
Managing Existing Soil Microbes for Water-Stable Aggregate Formation
Chloroform Sterilization
Boosting the Soil Microbiome with Probiotics
Boosting the Soil Microbiome with Probiotics
Inoculation with commercially available products
Boosting the Soil Microbiome with Probiotics
Connections to Wind Erosion Handbook
Chapter 5. Controlling wind erosion
