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Liu J, Wang Z, Hu G, Xue J, Bu F, Jing M, Song Z, Che W. Cracking and erosion behaviors of sand-clay mixtures stabilized with microbial biopolymer and palm fiber. Sci Total Environ 2023; 905:166991. [PMID: 37709079 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Drying-induced cracks and precipitation-induced erosion negatively impact the performance of soils in the context of extreme weather events. This study introduces two effective and sustainable materials, microbial biopolymer (MB) and palm fibers (PF), for cracking and erosion control in the sand-clay mixtures. A series of desiccation cracking tests, erosion tests, and SEM tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. The results showed that MB could significantly improve the resistance of the soil to cracking and scouring, and the improvement increased with increasing MB content. The optimum MB content was 0.15 % to achieve the maximum cracking and erosion resistance. For samples with varying sand contents, 0.15 % MB addition reduced the crack ratio, total crack length, and accumulative erosion ratio by 19.55 %-96.91 %, 4.22 %-99.58 %, and 57.88 %-89.53 %, respectively. In addition, PF positively affected the anti-crack and anti-erosion properties of the soil, and the application of 0.60 % PF had the best performance for both improvements. The cracks in the soils were mostly fine and shallow with the addition of 0.60 % PF, and therefore, the accumulative erosion ratio decreased by 44.18 %-62.76 % for samples with varying sand contents. Compared to the untreated soil, the degree of cracking and erosion was less due to the formation of a structure with more macropores and a sand skeleton in the treated samples with higher sand content. MB addition provides strong inter-particle bonding connections and a hydrophilic crust structure to improve the soils' resistance to cracking and erosion, while the fiber reinforcement effect benefits from interfacial friction and spatial restriction effects. This study provides mechanistic interpretations of desiccation cracking and erosion behavior in sand-clay mixtures under different treatments. It may guide the design of low-carbon technologies for geotechnical engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zi Wang
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Guochang Hu
- Jiangsu Shanshui Ecological Environment Construction Engineering Co., Ltd, Nanjing 210018, China
| | - Jian Xue
- Jiangsu Institute of Geology and Minerals Investigation, Jiangsu Geological Bureau, Nanjing 210018, China
| | - Fan Bu
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Miao Jing
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zezhuo Song
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Wenyue Che
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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Qin T, Liu S, Li W, Xu S, Lu J, Lv Z, Abebe SA. Porous fiber materials can alleviate the risk of farmland drought and flooding disasters and prompt crop growth. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1201879. [PMID: 37900755 PMCID: PMC10602813 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1201879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Floods and droughts on farmland seriously damage agricultural production. Porous fiber materials (PFM) made from mineral rocks have high porosity, permeability, and water retention and are utilized widely in green roofs and agricultural production. Therefore, studying the impact of PFM on the improvement of farmland is of great importance for soil and water conservation. We set 64 extreme rainfalls to analyze the impact of PFM on soil water content (SWC), runoff, nutrient loss, microorganism, and plant growth. The results showed that PFM can effectively reduce runoff and improve soil water distribution, and enhance the soil water holding capacity. Furthermore, PFM reduced the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus by 18.3% to 97% in the runoff, and the soil erosion of summer corn was more strongly influenced by lower vegetation cover, compared with winter wheat. Finally, when PFM was buried in the soil, the wheat yield increased by -6.7%-20.4%, but the corn yield in some PFM groups decreased by 5.1% to 42.5% under short-duration irrigation conditions. Our study emphasizes that the effectiveness of PFM depends mainly on the following: First, PFM with high porosity can increase soil water holding capacity and timely replenish the water lost from the surrounding soil. Second, PFM with high permeability can increase infiltration during rainfall and decrease runoff and nutrient loss, reducing the risk of farmland flooding and pollution. Finally, PFM consists of gold ions and alkali metal oxides, which can stabilize agglomerates and improve soil enzyme activity, thereby increasing the relative abundance of some microbial strains and promoting crop growth. However, when the rainfall amount was low or PFM volume was large, PFM could not store water sufficiently during rainfall, which seriously reduced the maximum saturated moisture content and water absorption performance. Meanwhile, the PFM could not release water in time and replenish the soil water deficit, which increased drought risk. In conclusion, the appropriate volume of PFM and irrigation system may enhance soil water storage capacity, minimize agricultural pollution, and promote crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianling Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Shu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
| | - Sintayehu A Abebe
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China
- Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering Department, Debre Markos University Institute of Technology, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
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Gholamahmadi B, Jeffery S, Gonzalez-Pelayo O, Prats SA, Bastos AC, Keizer JJ, Verheijen FGA. Biochar impacts on runoff and soil erosion by water: A systematic global scale meta-analysis. Sci Total Environ 2023; 871:161860. [PMID: 36758699 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biochar application to soil has the potential to affect soil and vegetation properties that are key for the processes of runoff and soil erosion. However, both field and pot experiments show a vast range of effects, from strong reductions to strong increases in runoff and/or soil erosion. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and interpret the impacts of biochar on runoff and soil erosion through the first systematic meta-analysis on this topic. The developed dataset consists of 184 pairwise observations for runoff and soil erosion from 30 independent studies but 8 of which just focused on soil erosion. Overall, biochar application to soil significantly reduced runoff by 25 % and erosion by 16 %. Mitigation of soil erosion in the tropics was approximately three times stronger (30 %) than at temperate latitudes (9 %); erosion reduction in the subtropical zone was 14 %, but not significantly different from either the tropical or temperate zones. Fewer reported field observations for runoff resulted in larger confidence intervals and only the temperate latitudes showed a significant effect (i.e. a 28 % reduction). At topsoil gravimetric biochar concentrations between 0.6 % and 2.5 %, significant reductions occurred in soil erosion, with no effect at lower and higher concentrations. Biochar experiments that included a vegetation cover reduced soil erosion more than twice as much as bare soil experiments, i.e. 27 % vs 12 %, respectively. This suggests that soil infiltration, canopy interception, and soil cohesion mechanisms may have synergistic effects. Soil amended with biochar pyrolyzed at >500 °C was associated with roughly double the erosion reduction than soil amended with biochar produced at 300-500 °C, which potentially could be related to the enhancement of hydrophobicity in the latter case. Our results demonstrate substantial potential for biochar to improve ecosystem services that are affected by increased infiltration and reduced erosion, while mechanistic understanding needs to be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrouz Gholamahmadi
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Simon Jeffery
- Agriculture and Environment Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Pelayo
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development (MED) & Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), Institute for Advanced Studies and Research, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Sergio Alegre Prats
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development (MED) & Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), Institute for Advanced Studies and Research, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Bastos
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Jan Jacob Keizer
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Geobiosciences Geotechnologies and Geo-engineerings (GEOBIOTEC), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Frank G A Verheijen
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Yuan Z, Song Y, Li D, Huang B, Chen Y, Ge X, Zheng M, Liao Y, Xie Z. Effects of biochar application on the loss characteristics of Cd from acidic soil under simulated rainfall conditions. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:83969-83980. [PMID: 35776308 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21623-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biochar is widely used for immobilizing heavy metals in soil as a kind of high-effective passivator. This research conducted incubation and simulated rainfall experiments to study the effects of biochar application on the loss characteristics of runoff and sediment, as well as the transportation of the Cd during the water erosion process. Two rainfall intensities (60 and 120 mm h-1) and five biochar application rates (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7%) were considered in the experiment. The result showed that slaking had a greater effect than mechanical stirring in aggregate breakdown of the soil, and the addition of biochar generally increased the sensitivity of the soil to wet stirring, while had no obvious influence on the resistance to slaking. The H2O and CaCl2 extractable Cd in soil significantly decreased with the increase of biochar application rate. The runoff yields decreased with the increase of biochar application rate at both the two rainfall intensities, while the eroded sediment generally decreased at the 120 mm h-1 rainfall intensity. The addition of biochar tended to increase the loss of the middle-sized (1-0.05 mm) aggregates at the 60 mm h-1 rainfall intensity, whereas reduced their loss at the 120 mm h-1 rainfall intensity. Biochar application could significantly reduce the concentration of Cd in the runoff and decreased the total loss amount of Cd (sediment+runoff) in most of the cases. Excessively high level (7%) of biochar application may aggravate soil erosion and result in more Cd loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaijian Yuan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueyan Song
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Dingqiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Huang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China.
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China.
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yunhui Chen
- Jiangxi Provincial Meteorological Observatory, Nanchang, 330096, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojun Ge
- South China Normal University, School of Environment, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingguo Zheng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yishan Liao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyue Xie
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China
- International Academy of Soil and Water Conservation, Meizhou, 514000, People's Republic of China
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Shi G, Wu Y, Li T, Fu Q, Wei Y. Mid- and long-term effects of biochar on soil improvement and soil erosion control of sloping farmland in a black soil region, China. J Environ Manage 2022; 320:115902. [PMID: 35933881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biochar has been widely used as a soil conditioner, but research on the mid-and long-term effects of biochar on soil structure and soil erosion is still seriously lacking. To investigate the effects of mid- and long-term applications of biochar on soil improvement and soil erosion, a 4-year experiment was carried out on a field runoff plot of 3° sloping farmland in the black soil region of Northeast China. By examining the influence of different biochar application amounts (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 t ha-1) on annual runoff, annual soil erosion, soil water retention curves, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and unsaturated water diffusivity over four consecutive years, the optimal biochar application rate was determined. The results showed that the biochar application amount, year and their interaction imposed significant effects on soil structure, annual runoff, annual soil erosion, and moisture characteristic parameters. When the water content exceeded a certain value (0.28 cm3 cm-3), biochar improved the soil hydraulic conductivity. biochar inhibited the horizontal diffusion of water, while Pearson correlation analysis indicated that soil structure improvement encouraged soil water holding capacity enhancement and prevented soil erosion. Based on the analysis of the soil structure and soil erosion during the four-year period, the best biochar application rate for water and soil improvement of the sloping farmlands in the black soil area was proposed, namely, biochar application at 50 t ha-1 for two consecutive years. The research results provide practical application for combat soil erosion of sloping land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoxin Shi
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Heilongjiang Province Hydraulic Research Institute, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 100050, China
| | - Tianxiao Li
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China.
| | - Qiang Fu
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China.
| | - Yongxia Wei
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China
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Liao W, Drake J, Thomas SC. Biochar granulation, particle size, and vegetation effects on leachate water quality from a green roof substrate. J Environ Manage 2022; 318:115506. [PMID: 35753127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biochar, due to its favourable physiochemical properties, has been promoted as an ideal substrate additive on green roofs, with potential benefits to hydrological function. However, biochar is susceptible to water erosion, which may result in biochar loss and water pollution. The use of granulated biochars or biochars in large particle sizes could potentially alleviate biochar erosion loss, but effects on leachate quality have not been investigated. Also, biochar type and particle size influence plant performance, and effects on discharge quality may vary with vegetation. We assessed the effects of unprocessed and granulated biochars at five (0.25-0.5 mm, 0.5-1 mm, 1-2 mm, 2-2.8 mm, 2.8-4 mm) and four (1-2 mm, 2-2.8 mm, 2.8-4 mm, and 4-6.3 mm) particle size ranges, respectively, on leachate quality on a typical green roof substrate, with presence and absence of vegetation (Agastache foeniculum - a drought-tolerant native forb). We evaluated integrated leachate quality using the CCME Water Quality Index (WQI). Unprocessed biochars reduced nutrient leaching due to increased water retention capacity (WRC) and total porosity. In contrast, granulated biochars, although showing less pronounced mitigation of nutrient leaching, reduced total suspended solids (TSS) and improved WQI in leachate due to enhanced plant performance. In addition, small biochar particles better reduced nutrient leaching and particle loss than large biochar particles, possibly due to increased WRC and formation of water-stable aggregates. The presence of vegetation generally reduced the leaching of nutrients and TSS, consistent with plant nutrient uptake and root substrate stabilization. However, plant biomass was correlated with increased total N leaching, likely due to litter inputs and rapid litter decomposition. We conclude that applications of granulated biochars may best improve discharge quality from green roofs through sorption effects and by enhancing plant performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxi Liao
- Institute of Forestry and Conservation, John H Daniels Faculty of Architecture Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3B3, Canada.
| | - Jennifer Drake
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George St., Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Sean C Thomas
- Institute of Forestry and Conservation, John H Daniels Faculty of Architecture Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3B3, Canada
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Raza A, Ahrends H, Habib-Ur-Rahman M, Hüging H, Gaiser T. Using the Taguchi experimental design for assessing within-field variability of surface run-off and soil erosion risk. Sci Total Environ 2022; 828:154567. [PMID: 35302038 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Water erosion is one of the soil degradation processes driven by environmental and field factors such as rainfall intensity, slope gradient, dynamics of vegetation cover, soil characteristics, and management practices. Most of the studies assess the separate contribution of these factors under controlled conditions. However, there is a lack of adequate knowledge regarding the complex interactions between prevailing factors and soil erosion processes under heterogeneous field conditions. This study investigated 16 combinations of 5 factors at 4 levels of each factor on the soil erosion process using Taguchi's fractional factorial experiment design, identifying the factor combinations resulting in maximum sediment yield, runoff, organic carbon, and nitrogen losses. We considered the factors: Soil organic matter and silt content (SiltOM), vegetation cover (VC), slope steepness (SS), rainfall intensity (RI), and depth to a loamy layer (DLL). The interactive effects of these factors and their combinations were visualized from the analysis of signal-to-noise (S/N) responses. Results indicated that interactions between the selected factors and soil erosion processes exist and multiple linear regression models were developed to predict sediment yields, runoff, carbon, and nitrogen losses at the sub-field scale. Results revealed that 1) RI with 40.6% showed the highest contribution to sediment yield followed by SS (23.8%), VC (17.74%), SiltOM (14.77%), and DLL (3.17%), indicating a strong rainfall-erosion relationship; 2) the combination of levels of factors generating highest sediment yield was determined; 3) A simple multiple linear regression model developed for predicting local sediment yield showed the highest agreement with field observations (R2 = 82.5%). The findings suggest that Taguchi design could be used reliably for modeling soil erosion at field and sub-field scales. Using local calibration data such models have great potential for soil erosion risk assessments at the field scale, especially in areas where contributing factors and factor levels change at small spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahsan Raza
- University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Crop Science Group, Katzenburgweg 5, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Hella Ahrends
- University of Helsinki, Department of Agricultural Sciences\, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Muhammad Habib-Ur-Rahman
- University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Crop Science Group, Katzenburgweg 5, 53115 Bonn, Germany; Department of Agronomy, MNS- University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Hubert Hüging
- University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Crop Science Group, Katzenburgweg 5, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Gaiser
- University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Crop Science Group, Katzenburgweg 5, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Martyn TE, Barberán A, Blankinship JC, Miller M, Yang B, Kline A, Gornish ES. Rock structures improve seedling establishment, litter catchment, fungal richness, and soil moisture in the first year after installation. Environ Manage 2022; 70:134-145. [PMID: 35487980 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01651-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Grasslands are essential natural and agricultural ecosystems that encompass over one-third of global lands. However, land conversion and poor management have caused losses of these systems which contributed to a 10% reduction of net primary production, a 4% increase in carbon emissions, and a potential loss of US $42 billion a year. It is, therefore, important to restore, enhance and conserve these grasslands to sustain natural plant communities and the livelihoods of those that rely on them. We installed low cost rock structures (media lunas) to assess their ability to restore grasslands by slowing water flow, reducing erosion and improving plant establishment. Our treatments included sites with small and large rock structures that were seeded with a native seed mix as well as sites with no seed or rock and sites with only seed addition. We collected summer percent cover for plants, litter, and rock and spring seedling count data. We also collected soil for nutrient, moisture, and microbial analysis. Within the first year, we found no change in plant cover between rock structures of two rock sizes. We did find, however, an increase in soil moisture, litter, fungal richness, and spring seedling germination within the rock structures, despite a historic drought. This work demonstrates that rock structures can positively impact plants and soils of grasslands even within the first year. Our results suggest that managers should seriously consider employing these low-cost structures to increase short-term plant establishment and possibly, soil health, in grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trace E Martyn
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
| | - Albert Barberán
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Joseph C Blankinship
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Mary Miller
- Elkhorn Ranch, Tucson, AZ, 85736, USA
- Altar Valley Conservation Alliance, Tucson, AZ, 85736, USA
| | - Ben Yang
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Albert Kline
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Elise S Gornish
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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Zhang Y, Zhao H, Hu W, Wang Y, Zhang H, Zhou X, Fei J, Luo G. Understanding how reed-biochar application mitigates nitrogen losses in paddy soil: Insight into microbially-driven nitrogen dynamics. Chemosphere 2022; 295:133904. [PMID: 35157877 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biochar application to chemical-amended paddy soils has been proposed as a potential strategy to enhance nitrogen (N) retention and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by crops. However, optimal concentrations for these enhancements and the potential drivers are not well understood. Herein, a column-based pot experiment was carried out to investigate the impacts of reed-biochar application rate on N losses and dynamics in paddy soils treated by chemical fertilizer, and particularly, to explore the dominant factors of the processes. The addition of 2-4% reed-biochar had the most significant effects on mitigating N loss by leaching. Reed-biochar amendment increased soil total N and mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3--N) content, and denitrifying gene abundance, and the increments of those variables were positively related to the application rate. Soil treated with 1-4% reed-biochar at harvest period showed higher gene abundances of ammonia-oxidizing and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and higher activity of β-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) and leucine aminopeptidase compared with the 4-8% application rate. The amoA-AOA gene abundance, NAG activity, and total carbon (C) content were the main predictors of total N and mineral N accumulated leakage. Total C content was the main predictor of soil total N and mineral N content, followed by the pH and NAG activity. These results suggest that adding 2-4% reed-biochar was more beneficial to mitigate N loss and thus enhance soil N storage and availability. This study highlights the importance of understanding how microbial populations mediate N transformation to decipher biochar-driven NUE enhancement in paddy soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Hang Zhao
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Wang Hu
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Yizhe Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Hanfeng Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China
| | - Jiangchi Fei
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Gongwen Luo
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Farmland Pollution Control and Agricultural Resources Use, Changsha, 410128, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Changsha, 410128, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China.
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10
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Jin Z, Xiao S, Dong H, Xiao J, Tian R, Chen J, Li Y, Li L. Adsorption and catalytic degradation of organic contaminants by biochar: Overlooked role of biochar's particle size. J Hazard Mater 2022; 422:126928. [PMID: 34449338 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biochar (BC) is considered as a promising adsorbent and/or catalyst for the removal of organic contaminants. However, the relationship between the particle size of BC and its adsorption/catalysis performance is largely unclear. We therefore investigated the influence of particle size on the performance of BC pyrolyzed at 300-900 °C in trichloroethylene (TCE) adsorption and persulfate (PS) activation for sulfamethazine (SMT) degradation. The results showed that high-temperature pyrolyzed BC (BC900) presented superior adsorption capacity for TCE and excellent catalytic activity for PS activation to degrade SMT. Compared to 150-250 µm, 75-150 µm and pristine BC900, 0-75 µm BC900 showed the highest TCE adsorption efficiency, which increased by 19.5-62.3%. Similarly, SMT removal by BC900/PS systems also increased from 24.2% to 98.3% with decreasing BC particle size. However, the catalytic activity of BC after grinding was not significantly improved as expected, indicating the properties of biochar was not only controlled by size effect. Characterization measurements proved that small-sized BC tended to have larger specific surface area, more micropores, higher conductivity, rich graphitic domains and surface redox-active functional groups, thus resulting in an enhanced adsorption and catalytic ability of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilan Jin
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Shuangjie Xiao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Haoran Dong
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China.
| | - Junyang Xiao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Ran Tian
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Jie Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yangju Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Long Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
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11
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Garg A, Wani I, Kushvaha V. Application of Artificial Intelligence for Predicting Erosion of Biochar Amended Soils. Sustainability 2022; 14:684. [DOI: 10.3390/su14020684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Recently, incentives have been provided in developed countries by the government for commercial production of biochar for soil treatment, and other construction uses with an aim to reduce a significant amount of carbon emissions by 2030. Biochar is an important material for the development of circular economy. This study aims to develop a simple Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based model to predict erosion of biochar amended soils (BAS) under varying conditions (slope length, slope gradient, rainfall rate, degree of compaction (DoC), and percentage of biochar amendments). Accordingly, a model has been developed to estimate the total erosion rate and total water flow rate as a function of the above conditions. The model was developed based on available data from flume experiments. Based on ANN modelling results, it was observed that slope length was the most important factor in determining total erosion rate, followed by slope gradient, DoC, and percentage of biochar amendment. The percentage of biochar amendment was a leading factor in the total water flow rate determination as compared to other factors. It was also found that the reduction in erosion is relatively minimal during an increase in slope length up to 1.55 m, reducing sharply beyond that. At a slope length of 2 m, erosion is found to be reduced by 33% (i.e., 2.6 to 1.75), whereas the total flow rate decreases linearly from 1250 mL/m2/min to 790 mL/m2/min. The ANN model developed shows that soil biochar composite (SBC) with 5% biochar amendment gave the best results in reducing soil erosion. This study can be a helpful tool in providing preliminary guidelines for using biochar in erosion control.
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Zhao Y, Li Y, Yang F. A state-of-the-art review on modeling the biochar effect: Guidelines for beginners. Sci Total Environ 2022; 802:149861. [PMID: 34461475 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biochar has been widely advocated due to its special properties and sustainability for agriculture soil amendment. The influencing mechanism of biochar on soil properties is a key aspect of quantifying and predicting its benefits and trade-offs. The contribution of biochar to both environmental and agricultural benefits has been deeply discussed and extensively reviewed, but few reviews have focused on modeling biochar effects. An overview of recent advances in biochar modeling is illustrated and approaches classified in this paper. Applications of a machine learning model, a deterministic model, and a numerical model to biochar are categorized and summarized. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each model and a comparison among them are also provided. Finally, this paper gives many suggestions on narrowing the knowledge gap to advance biochar modeling. Further study of biochar modeling in management planning and design and application of the model results in agricultural systems will help accelerate the expansion of biochar's application scale and encourage the efficient utilization of waste in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhao
- School of Water Conservancy & Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Joint Laboratory of Northeast Agricultural University and Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (NEAU-MPICI), Harbin 150030, China
| | - YueLei Li
- School of Water Conservancy & Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Joint Laboratory of Northeast Agricultural University and Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (NEAU-MPICI), Harbin 150030, China
| | - Fan Yang
- School of Water Conservancy & Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Joint Laboratory of Northeast Agricultural University and Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (NEAU-MPICI), Harbin 150030, China.
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13
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Brtnicky M, Datta R, Holatko J, Bielska L, Gusiatin ZM, Kucerik J, Hammerschmiedt T, Danish S, Radziemska M, Mravcova L, Fahad S, Kintl A, Sudoma M, Ahmed N, Pecina V. A critical review of the possible adverse effects of biochar in the soil environment. Sci Total Environ 2021; 796:148756. [PMID: 34273836 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biochar has received extensive attention because of its multi-functionality for agricultural and environmental applications. Despite its many benefits, there are concerns related to the long-term safety and implications of its application, mainly because the mechanisms affecting soil and organism health are poorly quantified and understood. This work reviews 259 sources and summarises existing knowledge on biochar's adverse effects on soil from a multiangle perspective, including the physicochemical changes in soil, reduced efficiency of agrochemicals, potentially toxic substances in biochar, and effects on soil biota. Suggestions are made for mitigation measures. Mixed findings are often reported; however, the results suggest that high doses of biochar in clay soils are likely to decrease available water content, and surface application of biochar to sandy soils likely increases erosion and particulate matter emissions. Furthermore, biochar may increase the likelihood of excessive soil salinity and decreased soil fertility because of an increase in the pH of alkaline soils causing nutrient precipitation. Regarding the impact of biochar on (agro)chemicals and the role of biochar-borne toxic substances, these factors cannot be neglected because of their apparent undesirable effects on target and non-target organisms, respectively. Concerning non-target biota, adverse effects on reproduction, growth, and DNA integrity of earthworms have been reported along with effects on soil microbiome such as a shift in the fungi-to-bacteria ratio. Given the diversity of effects that biochar may induce in soil, guidelines for future biochar use should adopt a structured and holistic approach that considers all positive and negative effects of biochar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Brtnicky
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Rahul Datta
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Holatko
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bielska
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Zygmunt M Gusiatin
- Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna St. 45G, 10 719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jiri Kucerik
- Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Hammerschmiedt
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Subhan Danish
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan; Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresource, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Maja Radziemska
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ludmila Mravcova
- Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Shah Fahad
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresource, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Department of Agronomy, the University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22620, Pakistan
| | - Antonin Kintl
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Agricultural Research, Ltd., 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Sudoma
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Niaz Ahmed
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan
| | - Vaclav Pecina
- Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Shen Z, Zhang Z, Zhang M, Rinklebe J, Ma Y, Hou D. Effect of production temperature and particle size of rice husk biochar on mercury immobilization and erosion prevention of a mercury contaminated soil. J Hazard Mater 2021; 420:126646. [PMID: 34329115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) contaminated soil is a potential hazardous material especially under soil erosion and surface runoff. This work aims to use rice husk biochar to immobilize Hg and prevent erosion, and find the optimal production temperature and particle size of the biochar. The biochars were produced at 300, 500, and 700 °C and sieved to three particle sizes ~20, < 2, and < 0.15 mm. They were applied to a Hg contaminated loamy sand (20.2 mg/kg) and undergone simulated rainfall erosion representing 7 years of heavy rain events in Beijing. All biochar amendments reduced the runoff volume by 5.1-15.4%. Hg amount in runoff were significantly reduced by 36.7-48.8% after the amendments of biochar. The Hg concentration of infiltration was reduced by biochar treatments except that produced at 300 °C, while its amount was increased due to larger infiltration volume. All biochar amendments significantly reduced soil loss in runoff by 43.5-77.2%. Hg was enriched in the sediments (39.7-46.8 mg/kg) compared with the parent soil (20.2 mg/kg) regardless of biochar treatment, but its bioavailability was low. Higher pyrolysis temperature of the rice husk biochars resulted in less runoff, more infiltration, and better erosion prevention, while the effect of biochar particle size is less significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengtao Shen
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhuorong Zhang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water and Waste Management, Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yan Ma
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Deyi Hou
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Mak-Mensah E, Sam FE, Safnat Kaito IOI, Zhao W, Zhang D, Zhou X, Wang X, Zhao X, Wang Q. Influence of tied-ridge with biochar amendment on runoff, sediment losses, and alfalfa yield in northwestern China. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11889. [PMID: 34527437 PMCID: PMC8401753 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Loss of organic matter and mineral nutrients to soil erosion in rain-fed agriculture is a serious problem globally, especially in China’s Loess Plateau. As a result, increasing rainwater usage efficiency by tied-ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting with biochar is expected to improve agricultural productivity. Nonetheless, with limited knowledge on tied-ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting with biochar, small-scale farmers face the challenge of adoption, thus, the rationale for this study. Materials and methods A field experiment was conducted to determine the influence of open-ridging (OR) and tied-ridging (TR) with bio-degradable film on ridges and biochar in furrows on runoff, sediment losses, soil moisture, fodder yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) on sloped land, using flat planting (FP) without ridges and furrows as control, during alfalfa-growing year (2020). Results Runoff in flat planting (30%), open ridging (45%), and tied ridging (52%) were decreased with biochar to the extent where sediment was decreased in flat planting (33%), open ridging (43%), and tied ridging (44%) as well. The mean runoff efficiency was lower in flat planting (31%), open ridging (45%), and tied ridging (50%) in biochar plots compared to no-biochar plots. In biochar and no-biochar plots, soil temperature on ridges of TR was higher than that on OR, which was higher than FP during alfalfa growing season. Soil temperature in furrows during alfalfa growing season in biochar and no-biochar plots were in the order FP > OR > TR. Mean soil water storage for FP, OR, and TR, in biochar plots was higher than in no-biochar plots. This indicates biochar has a beneficial impact on open riding. Total annual net fodder yield (NFY) was significantly (p = 0.00) higher in treatments in the order TR > OR > FP. Tied ridging had a significant effect on actual fodder yield (AFY) in biochar plots, while open ridging significantly affected AFY in no-biochar plots. Annual total mean NFY and AFY increased by 8% and 11% in biochar plots compared to no-biochar plots. In biochar and no-biochar plots, water use efficiency was in the order TR > OR > FP. Conclusively, water use efficiency was significantly higher (p = 0.01) in biochar plots compared to no-biochar plots. Conclusion When crop production is threatened by soil erosion and drought, mulched tied-ridge with biochar is beneficial to crop growth in rain-fed agriculture, according to this research. Smallholder farmers should be trained on applying this technique for water-saving to mitigate runoff, soil erosion, sediment losses, and improve food security in semiarid areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erastus Mak-Mensah
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Faisal Eudes Sam
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | | | - Wucheng Zhao
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Dengkui Zhang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Xujiao Zhou
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Xiaole Zhao
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Qi Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
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He M, Xiong X, Wang L, Hou D, Bolan NS, Ok YS, Rinklebe J, Tsang DCW. A critical review on performance indicators for evaluating soil biota and soil health of biochar-amended soils. J Hazard Mater 2021; 414:125378. [PMID: 33652215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Amendment of soil with biochar has been widely investigated for soil quality improvement in terms of biotic and abiotic functionalities. The performance of biochar-based amendment varies according to the site characteristics, biochar properties, and soil management targets. There is no existing review that summarizes a broad range of performance indicators to evaluate the health of biochar-amended soil. Based on the latest studies on soil amendment with biochar, this review critically analyzes the soil health indicators that reveal the potential impact of biochar amendment with respect to physicochemical properties, biological properties, and overall soil quality. It is found that soil pH, soil aggregate stability, and soil organic matter are the basic indicators that could influence most of the soil functions, which should be prioritized for measurement. Relevant functional indicators (e.g., erosion rate, crop productivity, and ecotoxicity) should be selected based on the soil management targets of biochar application in agricultural soils. With this review, it is expected that target-oriented performance indicators can be selected in future studies for field-relevant evaluation of soil amendment by biochar under different situations. Therefore, a more cost-effective and purpose-driven assessment protocol for biochar-amended soils can be devised by using relevant measurable attributes suggested in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjing He
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xinni Xiong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Construction Materials, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Deyi Hou
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Nanthi S Bolan
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, Faculty of Science, Enginnering and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC), Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Yong Sik Ok
- Korea Biochar Research Center & Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- Laboratory of Soil, and Groundwater-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water, and Waste, Management, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Daniel C W Tsang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
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Li T, Yu P, Liu D, Fu Q, Hou R, Zhao H, Xu S, Zuo Y, Xue P. Effects of Biochar on Sediment Transport and Rill Erosion after Two Consecutive Years of Seasonal Freezing and Thawing. Sustainability 2021; 13:6984. [DOI: 10.3390/su13136984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This research explored the effects of biochar on slope runoff and sediment transport processes and the hydrodynamic mechanism of rill erosion under the seasonal freeze–thaw climate in the black soil area of Northeast China. The four slopes of 1.8, 3.6, 5.4 and 7.2° were set, corn straw biochar was used, and three biochar contents of 0 kg m−2 (B0 treatment), 6 kg m−2 (B6 treatment) and 12 kg m−2 (B12 treatment) were applied. The experimental plot was placed outdoors to simulate the freeze–thaw cycle of sloping farmland under natural conditions. Three artificial simulated rainfall tests were carried out before the end of seasonal freeze–thaw cycles and spring sowing date (May) in 2018 and 2019. The sediment transport process of runoff and the variation of hydrodynamic parameters in rills were analyzed under one and two seasons of freezing and thawing in natural outdoor conditions. The results show that biochar has a positive effect on reducing rainfall runoff and soil loss after one year and two years of seasonal freezing and thawing. The effect of biochar on the sediment concentration of slope runoff increased with increasing application time; in the second year, the B6 and B12 treatments reduced the sediment concentration by 5.5–14.8% and 3.3–13.6%, respectively, compared with the values of the first year. The Reynolds number (Re) in the rill flow after the B6 and B12 treatments decreased with increasing duration, which effectively reduced the turbulence degree of the flow on the rill of the slope. With the increase in duration, the rill critical erosion power increased; in 2018 and 2019, the critical shear force, critical runoff power and critical unit runoff power were 0.403 Pa, 0.098 m s−1, and 0.002 N m−1 and 0.497 Pa, 0.124 m s−1, and 0.003 N m−1, respectively. This result indicates that increasing the duration and number of seasonal freeze–thaws can promote the development of biochar control of the runoff and sediment processes on slope and rill development.
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Thomas SC. Post-processing of biochars to enhance plant growth responses: a review and meta-analysis. Biochar 2021; 3:437-455. [PMID: 34723131 PMCID: PMC8547209 DOI: 10.1007/s42773-021-00115-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED A number of processes for post-production treatment of "raw" biochars, including leaching, aeration, grinding or sieving to reduce particle size, and chemical or steam activation, have been suggested as means to enhance biochar effectiveness in agriculture, forestry, and environmental restoration. Here, I review studies on post-production processing methods and their effects on biochar physio-chemical properties and present a meta-analysis of plant growth and yield responses to post-processed vs. "raw" biochars. Data from 23 studies provide a total of 112 comparisons of responses to processed vs. unprocessed biochars, and 103 comparisons allowing assessment of effects relative to biochar particle size; additional 8 published studies involving 32 comparisons provide data on effects of biochar leachates. Overall, post-processed biochars resulted in significantly increased average plant growth responses 14% above those observed with unprocessed biochar. This overall effect was driven by plant growth responses to reduced biochar particle size, and heating/aeration treatments. The assessment of biochar effects by particle size indicates a peak at a particle size of 0.5-1.0 mm. Biochar leachate treatments showed very high heterogeneity among studies and no average growth benefit. I conclude that physiochemical post-processing of biochar offers substantial additional agronomic benefits compared to the use of unprocessed biochar. Further research on post-production treatments effects will be important for biochar utilization to maximize benefits to carbon sequestration and system productivity in agriculture, forestry, and environmental restoration. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42773-021-00115-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C. Thomas
- Institute of Forestry and Conservation, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON M5S 3B3 Canada
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Edeh IG, Mašek O, Buss W. A meta-analysis on biochar's effects on soil water properties - New insights and future research challenges. Sci Total Environ 2020; 714:136857. [PMID: 32018989 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biochar can significantly alter water relations in soil and therefore, can play an important part in increasing the resilience of agricultural systems to drought conditions. To enable matching of biochar to soil constraints and application needs, a thorough understanding of the impact of biochar properties on relevant soil parameters is necessary. This meta-analysis of the available literature for the first time quantitatively assess the effect of not just biochar application, but different biochar properties on the full sets of key soil hydraulic parameters, i.e., the available water content (AWC), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP) and total porosity (TP). The review shows that biochar increased soil water retention and decreased Ksat in sandy soils and increased Ksat and hence decreased runoff in clayey soils. On average, regardless of soil type, biochar application increased AWC (28.5%), FC (20.4%), PWP (16.7%) and TP (9.1%), while it reduced Ksat (38.7%) and BD (0.8%). Biochar was most effective in improving soil water properties in coarse-textured soils with application rates between 30 and 70 t/ha. The key factors influencing biochar performance were particle size, specific surface area and porosity indicating that both soil-biochar inter-particle and biochar intra-particle pores are important factors. To achieve optimum water relations in sandy soils (>60% sand and <20% clay), biochar with a small particle size (<2 mm) and high specific surface area and porosity should be applied. In clayey soil (>50% clay), <30 t/ha of a high surface area biochar is ideal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifeoma G Edeh
- UK Biochar Research Centre, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
| | - Ondřej Mašek
- UK Biochar Research Centre, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Wolfram Buss
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Conversion Technologies of Biobased Resources, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Abstract
Amending soil with biochar is a promising approach to persistently improve soil health and promote crop growth. The efficacy of soil biochar amendment, however, is soil specific, biochar dependent, and influenced by the biochar application programs. To maximize the benefits of biochar application, this paper proposes the 3R principles for applying biochar to soils: right biochar source, right application rate, and right placement in soil. The quality of biochar as a soil amendment varies significantly with the feedstock and the production conditions. Biochar products capable of everlastingly sustaining soil health are those with high stable organic carbon (OC) content and high water- and nutrient-holding capacities that are manufactured from uncontaminated biomass materials. Acidic, coarse-textured, highly leached soils respond remarkably more to biochar amendment than other types of soils. Soil amendment with particular biochars at as low as 0.1 mass% (equivalent to 2 Mg ha−1) may enhance the seasonal crop productivity. To achieve the evident, long-term soil health improvement effects, wood- and crop residue-derived biochars should be applied to soil at one time or cumulatively 2–5 mass% and manure-derived biochars at 1–3 mass% soil. Optimal amendment rates of particular biochar soil systems should be prescreened to ensure the pH of newly treated soils is less than 7.5 and the electrical conductivity (EC) below 2.7 dS m−1 (in 1:1 soil/water slurry). To maximize the soil health benefits while minimizing the erosion risk, biochar amendment should be implemented through broadcasting granular biochar in moistened conditions or in compost mixtures to cropland under low-wind weather followed by thorough and uniform incorporation into the 0–15 cm soil layer. Biochars are generally low in plant macronutrients and cannot serve as a major nutrient source (especially N) to plants. Combined chemical fertilization is necessary to realize the synergic beneficial effects of biochar amendment.
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Yin W, Zhang W, Zhao C, Xu J. Evaluation of Removal Efficiency of Ni(II) and 2,4-DCP Using in Situ Nitrogen-Doped Biochar Modified with Aquatic Animal Waste. ACS Omega 2019; 4:19366-19374. [PMID: 31763561 PMCID: PMC6868889 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Currently, biochar (BC) has shown promising potential in groundwater and surface-water remediation. In this work, Trapa natans husks based biochar (TBC) was prepared and modified with aquatic animal waste (shrimp and crab) to produce shrimp-modified biochar (SBC) and crab-modified biochar (CBC), respectively. The as-prepared BCs (TBC, SBC, and CBC) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, Boehm titration, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. SBC and CBC had more developed nitrogen-containing functional groups than TBC, which indicates that the crude proteins in shrimp and crab have successfully achieved in situ nitrogen doping. Results of batch experiments showed that SBC and CBC had larger groundwater pollutants (2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and Ni(II)) adsorption capacities than TBC. According to batch adsorption experiment and characterization analysis results, the proposed adsorption mechanism of 2,4-DCP includes hydrogen bonding and π-π electron-donor-acceptor interaction, while the mechanism for Ni(II) adsorption are proposed to be surface complexation, ion exchange, and electrostatic attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Yin
- State
Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of
Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji
University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of
Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji
University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Congcong Zhao
- College
of Geography and Environment, Collaborative Innovation Center of Human-Nature
and Green Development in Universities of Shandong, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jingtao Xu
- School
of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
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Kumar H, Ganesan SP, Bordoloi S, Sreedeep S, Lin P, Mei G, Garg A, Sarmah AK. Erodibility assessment of compacted biochar amended soil for geo-environmental applications. Sci Total Environ 2019; 672:698-707. [PMID: 30974360 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biochar amended soil (BAS) has been explored as a cover material for geo-environmental applications such as landfill cover due to its vegetation potential. Soil erosion in these infrastructures can progressively lead to failure and hamper the workability of the system. BAS is compacted for geo-environmental applications, unlike agricultural soil, which are loose in nature. Furthermore, the love-hate relationship of biochar with water can potentially affect the functioning of compacted cover system. Thus, the performance of compacted BAS in the context of erosion potential is not well understood. The major objective of this technical note was to explore the erosion potential of compacted BAS sourced from four distinct biochars. Biochar were produced in-house and mixed with soil at 5% and 10% by weight. In total, 81 pinhole erosion tests were performed to gauge the erosion rate of bare soil and BAS at three different compaction states at same compaction energy. It was revealed that the erosion rate decreased with gradual increment in water content for BAS, which was mainly attributed to the change of particle orientation from flocculated to dispersed along the compaction curve. Addition of biochar to soil resulted in decrease of erosion along the dry state whereas the opposite was observed for wet state. This was attributed to the surface functional groups as well as particle gradation of biochar. Erodibility coefficient and critical shear stress plot of soil and BAS revealed that addition of biochar had minimal effect on erosion of compacted silty sand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Kumar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shantou University, China
| | | | - Sanandam Bordoloi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India
| | - S Sreedeep
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India
| | - Peng Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shantou University, China
| | - Guoxiong Mei
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, China
| | - Ankit Garg
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shantou University, China
| | - Ajit K Sarmah
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Wei, Liu, Routh, Tang, Liu, Liu, Luo, Li, Zhang. Release of Heavy Metals and Metalloids from Two Contaminated Soils to Surface Runoff in Southern China: A Simulated-Rainfall Experiment. Water 2019; 11:1339. [DOI: 10.3390/w11071339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The release of heavy metals and metalloids (HMs), including Pb, Zn, Cd, As, and Cu, from two typical contaminated soils with different properties, namely red soil and limestone-dominated soil, was characterized through simulated-rainfall experiments in order to investigate the effects of soil properties on HM release. Significant differences in the HM concentrations between the two soils resulted in various concentrations of dissolved and particulate HMs in the runoff. Differences in the dissolved HM concentrations in the runoff were inconsistent with the HM concentrations in the soils, which is attributed to the variable solubilities of HMs in the two soils. However, the HM enrichment ratios were not significantly different. The strong correlation between dissolved organic carbon and dissolved HMs in the runoff, and between the total organic carbon and particulate HMs in sediments, were observed, especially in the limestone-dominated soil. The specific surface area and HM concentrations in sediments were weakly correlated. Acid-rainfall experiments showed that only the limestone-dominated soil buffered the effects of acid rain on the runoff; the concentrations of dissolved Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu increased in the red soil under acid rainfall and were 60, 29, 25, and 19 times higher, respectively, than under the neutral conditions. The results contribute to the understanding of HM behavior in the two typical soils in southern China, exposed to frequent storms that are often dominated by acid rainfall.
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Gao J, Zhao Y, Zhang W, Sui Y, Jin D, Xin W, Yi J, He D. Biochar prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures affects urea-nitrogen immobilization and N 2O emissions in paddy fields. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7027. [PMID: 31198642 PMCID: PMC6555392 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Food safety has become a major issue, with serious environmental pollution resulting from losses of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. N is a key element for plant growth and is often one of the most important yield-limiting nutrients in paddy soil. Urea-N immobilization is an important process for restoring the levels of soil nutrient depleted by rice production and sustaining productivity. The benefits of biochar application include improved soil fertility, altered N dynamics, and reduced nutrient leaching. However, due to high variability in the quality of biochar, the responses of N loss and rice productivity to biochar amendments, especially those prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures, are still unclear. The main objectives of the present study were to examine the effects of biochar prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures on fertilizer N immobilization in paddy soil and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods Two biochar samples were prepared by pyrolysis of maize straw at 400 °C (B400) and 700 °C (B700), respectively. The biochar was applied to paddy soil at three rates (0, 0.7, and 2.1%, w/w), with or without N fertilization (0, 168, and 210 kg N ha–1). Pot experiments were performed to determine nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and 15N recovery from paddy soil using a 15N tracer across the rice growing season. Results Compared with the non-biochar control, biochar significantly decreased soil bulk density while increasing soil porosity, irrespective of pyrolysis temperature and N fertilizer level. Under B400 and B700, a high biochar rate decreased N loss rate to 66.42 and 68.90%, whereas a high N level increased it to 77.21 and 76.99%, respectively. Biochar also markedly decreased N2O emissions to 1.06 (B400) and 0.75 kg ha−1 (B700); low-N treatment caused a decrease in N2O emissions under B400, but this decrease was not observed under B700. An application rate of biochar of 2.1% plus 210 kg ha−1 N fertilizer substantially decreased the N fertilizer-induced N2O emission factor under B400, whereas under B700 no significant difference was observed. Biochar combined with N fertilizer treatment decreased rice biomass and grain yield by an average of 51.55 and 23.90 g pot–1, respectively, but the yield reduction under B700 was lower than under B400. Conclusion Irrespective of pyrolysis temperature, biochar had a positive effect on residual soil 15N content, while it negatively affected the 15N recovery of rice, N2O emissions from soil, rice biomass, and grain yield in the first year. Generally, a high application rate of biochar prepared at high or low pyrolysis temperature reduced the N fertilizer-induced N2O emission factor considerably. These biochar effects were dependent on N fertilizer level, biochar application rate, and their interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiping Gao
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanze Zhao
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wenzhong Zhang
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanghui Sui
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Corn Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Dandan Jin
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wei Xin
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jun Yi
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Dawei He
- Rice Research Institute, Liaoning Biochar Engineering & Technology Research Center, Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Zhou J, Liang X, Shan S, Yan D, Chen Y, Yang C, Lu Y, Niyungeko C, Tian G. Nutrient retention by different substrates from an improved low impact development system. J Environ Manage 2019; 238:331-340. [PMID: 30856593 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The reuse of water in agriculture has become more common in water management worldwide. However, there is very limited information about nutrient retention in water reclamation management. In this study, an improved low impact development (LID) practice was constructed to investigate the synergistic effects of three substrates amendment on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) retention under two irrigation modules: spray and drip irrigation. The orthogonal combination of the three substrates was controlled during four leaching events, with polyacrylamide (PAM), peat soil, and straw biochar application rates of 1, 2, and 4 g kg-1; 5, 10, and 20 g kg-1; and 10, 20, and 40 g kg-1, respectively. Results showed that the optimum treatments for N and P were 2 g kg-1 of PAM; 2 g kg-1 of PAM, 10 g kg-1 of peat soil, and 40 g kg-1 of straw biochar, respectively. The highest amounts of N and P retention under spray and drip irrigation were 83.12 mg N kg-1 and 50.09 mg N·kg-1, and 11.88 mg P·kg-1 and 7.47 mg P·kg-1, respectively. The analysis of variance indicated that PAM, biochar, and peat soil affected the retention of leachate, N, and P differently. PAM application could not only improve the water, N, P retention capacity of soil, but also significantly increase the content of >2 mm water-stable soil aggregate (WSA) (p<0.05), and there is an advisable linear relation between N, P retention and the content of >2 mm WSA (R2 = 0.79, 0.67, respectively). Overall, this study concludes that a combined application of PAM and biochar could reduce P loss and increase the >2 mm WSA under leaching condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhou
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xinqiang Liang
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Shengdao Shan
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Dawei Yan
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yanfeng Chen
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chunke Yang
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yuanyuan Lu
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Christophe Niyungeko
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guangming Tian
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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