Wind erosion is one of the most important land degradation processes in Hungary in the areas with low yearly precipitation values. The total land area suffering from wind erosion is approximately 10,000 km2, 10 per cent of the country area. Observations and discussions on wind erosion and its negative impacts in Hungary started in the last century. Since the 1950s, scientists investigated wind erosion processes and its role in the evolution of alluvial fans in an integrative way, including laboratory measurements and field observations with respect to the stabilization and utilization of soils in agricultural areas. Since the late 2000s, there is an increasing demand worldwide to characterize the role of climate change and human activities in triggering land degradation processes. Studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanics, causes and control techniques related to wind erosion applying laboratory and field wind tunnel simulation tests and field observations. Some encouraging achievements have been made. In this paper we summarize the main research results of wind erosion research, and put forward some perspectives and suggestions on the problems of wind erosion research and control practices in Hungary.

In both arid and semiarid regions, erosion by wind is a significant threat against sustainability of natural resources. The objective of this work was to investigate the direct impact of various soil moisture levels with soil texture and organic matter on soil crust formation and evaporation. Eighty soil samples with different texture (sand: 19, loamy sand: 21, sandy loam: 26, loam: 8, and silty loam: 6 samples) were collected from the Nyírség region (Eastern Hungary). A wind tunnel experiment was conducted on four simulated irrigation rates (0.5, l.0, 2.0, and 5.0 mm) and four levels of wind speeds (4.5, 7.8, 9.2, and 15.5 m s⁻¹). Results showed that watering with a quantity equal to 5 mm rainfall, with the exception of sandy soils, provided about 5–6 h protection against wind erosion, even in case of a wind velocity as high as 15.5 m s⁻¹. An exponential connection was revealed between wind velocities and the times of evaporation (R² = 0.88–0.99). Notably, a two-way ANOVA test revealed that both wind velocity (p < 0.001) and soil texture (p < 0.01) had a significant effect on the rate of evaporation, but their interaction was not significant (p = 0.26). In terms of surface crusts, silty loamy soils resulted in harder and more solid crusts in comparison with other textures. In contrast, crust formation in sandy soils was almost negligible, increasing their susceptibility to wind erosion risk. These results can support local municipalities in the development of a local plan against wind erosion phenomena in agricultural areas.

The most widely used dating techniques in quaternary research are the radiocarbon (¹⁴C) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating methods. In some environments, the investigated sediments do not contain enough material for¹⁴C dating. In these cases,¹⁴C dating of bulk sediment may be used as a last resort. The major aim of the present study was to determine the reliability and limitations of the different fractions of the soil organic carbon (SOC)¹⁴C ages in the Nyírség blown-sand study area, in Hungary. Therefore, the low- and high-temperature combustions of SOC (LT-SOC and HT-SOC)¹⁴C age of fossil soils were compared with the charcoal ages from the same fossil soil layer, and their (LT-SOC, HT-SOC, and charcoal) age reliability was verified independently by applying OSL to the quartz fraction of the sediment samples. The¹⁴C data show variable agreement with OSL ages. Charcoal fragments were collected from some of the best material for¹⁴C dating and their ages are in agreement with the LT and HT-SOC¹⁴C ages and OSL data. The¹⁴C age LT-SOC gives a reliable, credible ages, which were confirmed by independent OSL measurements. If buried soils do not contain any other macroscopic remnants for¹⁴C dating, the LT-SOC¹⁴C ages can be used, in the case of the Nyírség study area. The LT-SOC, which is the younger fraction of the soil organic carbon, may be considered to represent the burial time of the fossil soil layer. The HT-SOC¹⁴C ages are sometimes unrealistically older than expected and cannot be considered to be reliable.

Despite many ideas about the age and processes of sand movements and paleosol formation, there are still some uncertainties in this relations in the Nyírség, eastern Hungary. The major aim of the present study was to clarify the chronology of fossil soils and blown-sand layers in the sand dunes of the Nyírség using radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating on soil and charcoal samples. Charcoal and soil samples were collected from buried paleosols from different sand quarries for ¹⁴C dating. The bulk organic carbon content of the buried soil and charcoal pieces recovered from buried fossil soil layers allowed parallel ¹⁴C accelerator mass spectrometry dating in several cases. The new ¹⁴C results indicate paleosol development during Younger Dryas, while the preceding interstadial was assumed as a cold and dry period when only sand movement occurred in the area. Our results also confirm and support the previous assumptions, that in the Late Glacial, the first paleosol development period was during the Bølling-Allerød Interstadial. Four soil-forming periods could be determined during the Holocene (Preboreal, Boreal, Atlantic, Subatlantic). We have also indirectly identified sand movements during the Oldest Dryas, Younger Dryas, Preboreal, Boreal, and Subatlantic phase in the study area.

To investigate the environmental history of the Tisza River (Hungary), we applied ¹⁴C and OSL dating methods for five parallel, neighboring cores from the flood plain area (Jászság Basin). Four major sedimentary layers were identified: meadow soil on the top (S1); silty-clay (S2); clayey-silt (S3) section; and fine sand (S4). ¹⁴C and OSL data were integrated into a synthetic age-depth model using the BACON software package. Formation of the S1 layer (depth: 0–1.0 m) falls in the Holocene, up to 10 kyrs cal BP, with moderate sedimentation rate (100 yr/cm aAR). The S2 layer (1.0–8.0 m depth) represent the entire Last Glacial to Upper Pleniglacial period (19–27 kyrs cal BP), with a much faster sedimentation (20 yr/cm aAr). The S3 section (8.0–17.0 m) represents a longer period (27–45 kyrs cal BP) with similar sedimentation rate (19 yr/cm aAr) as S2. These clayey silt layers fall into the Late Pleistocene/Middle Pleniglacial period, a period of nearly 18 kyrs of sedimentation resulting ∼9 m thick sediment. Our study delivered some new and important details about the surface evolution of the investigated Tiszasüly area. A missing part of about 10 kyrs period (between 10–19 kyrs cal BP) was revealed in the investigated synthetic cores.