How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach
Biochar amendment changes chemical and physical properties of soils and influences soil biota. It is, thus, assumed that it can also affect soil erosion and erosion-related processes. In this study, we investigated how biochar particles instantly change erodibility by rain splash and the initial mov...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | Soil Systems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/4/4/60 |
| _version_ | 1797551611161083904 |
|---|---|
| author | Steffen Seitz Sandra Teuber Christian Geißler Philipp Goebes Thomas Scholten |
| author_facet | Steffen Seitz Sandra Teuber Christian Geißler Philipp Goebes Thomas Scholten |
| author_sort | Steffen Seitz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biochar amendment changes chemical and physical properties of soils and influences soil biota. It is, thus, assumed that it can also affect soil erosion and erosion-related processes. In this study, we investigated how biochar particles instantly change erodibility by rain splash and the initial movement of soil water in a small-scale experiment. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)-char and Pyrochar were admixed to two soil substrates. Soil erodibility was determined with Tübingen splash cups under simulated rainfall, soil hydraulic conductivity was calculated from texture and bulk soil density, and soil water retention was measured using the negative and the excess pressure methods. Results showed that the addition of biochar significantly reduced initial soil erosion in coarse sand and silt loam immediately after biochar application. Furthermore, biochar particles were not preferentially removed from the substrate surface, but increasing biochar particle sizes partly showed decreasing erodibility of substrates. Moreover, biochar amendment led to improved hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention, regarding soil erosion control. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that biochar amendments reduce soil degradation by water erosion. Furthermore, this effect is detectable in a very early stage, and without long-term incorporation of biochar into soils. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:48:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-338aac29c4e449edaf6a626399a69241 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-8789 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:48:35Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Soil Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-338aac29c4e449edaf6a626399a692412023-11-20T16:14:06ZengMDPI AGSoil Systems2571-87892020-10-01446010.3390/soilsystems4040060How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental ApproachSteffen Seitz0Sandra Teuber1Christian Geißler2Philipp Goebes3Thomas Scholten4Department of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19–23, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19–23, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19–23, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19–23, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19–23, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyBiochar amendment changes chemical and physical properties of soils and influences soil biota. It is, thus, assumed that it can also affect soil erosion and erosion-related processes. In this study, we investigated how biochar particles instantly change erodibility by rain splash and the initial movement of soil water in a small-scale experiment. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)-char and Pyrochar were admixed to two soil substrates. Soil erodibility was determined with Tübingen splash cups under simulated rainfall, soil hydraulic conductivity was calculated from texture and bulk soil density, and soil water retention was measured using the negative and the excess pressure methods. Results showed that the addition of biochar significantly reduced initial soil erosion in coarse sand and silt loam immediately after biochar application. Furthermore, biochar particles were not preferentially removed from the substrate surface, but increasing biochar particle sizes partly showed decreasing erodibility of substrates. Moreover, biochar amendment led to improved hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention, regarding soil erosion control. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that biochar amendments reduce soil degradation by water erosion. Furthermore, this effect is detectable in a very early stage, and without long-term incorporation of biochar into soils.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/4/4/60biocharsoil erosionsplash erosionsoil water characteristicssplash cup experiment |
| spellingShingle | Steffen Seitz Sandra Teuber Christian Geißler Philipp Goebes Thomas Scholten How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach Soil Systems biochar soil erosion splash erosion soil water characteristics splash cup experiment |
| title | How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach |
| title_full | How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach |
| title_fullStr | How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach |
| title_short | How Do Newly-Amended Biochar Particles Affect Erodibility and Soil Water Movement?—A Small-Scale Experimental Approach |
| title_sort | how do newly amended biochar particles affect erodibility and soil water movement a small scale experimental approach |
| topic | biochar soil erosion splash erosion soil water characteristics splash cup experiment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/4/4/60 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT steffenseitz howdonewlyamendedbiocharparticlesaffecterodibilityandsoilwatermovementasmallscaleexperimentalapproach AT sandrateuber howdonewlyamendedbiocharparticlesaffecterodibilityandsoilwatermovementasmallscaleexperimentalapproach AT christiangeißler howdonewlyamendedbiocharparticlesaffecterodibilityandsoilwatermovementasmallscaleexperimentalapproach AT philippgoebes howdonewlyamendedbiocharparticlesaffecterodibilityandsoilwatermovementasmallscaleexperimentalapproach AT thomasscholten howdonewlyamendedbiocharparticlesaffecterodibilityandsoilwatermovementasmallscaleexperimentalapproach |