Effect of Biochar on Soil and Water Loss on Sloping Farmland in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China during the Spring Thawing Period

Pengfei Yu, Tianxiao Li, Qiang Fu, Dong Liu, Renjie Hou and Hang Zhao
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Pengfei Yu: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Tianxiao Li: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Qiang Fu: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Dong Liu: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Renjie Hou: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Hang Zhao: School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Biochar, as a kind of soil amendment, has attracted wide attention from scholars in various countries, and the effects of biochar on soil and water loss have been well reported. However, soil erosion is significantly affected by geographical conditions, climate, and other factors, and research on the characteristics of soil erosion and the effects of biochar application in seasonally frozen soil areas is currently unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of corn straw biochar application on soil and water conservation during the spring thawing period. Specifically, through field experiments, the addition of 0, 6, and 12 kg m −2 biochar on slopes of 1.8, 3.6, 5.4, and 7.2° and the effects on runoff and the soil erosion rate of farmland were analyzed. The results showed that in the 6 and 12 kg m −2 biochar addition treatments, the saturated water content of the soil increased by 24.17 and 42.91%, and the field capacity increased by 32.44 and 51.30%, respectively. Compared with the untreated slope, with an increase in biochar application rate, runoff decreased slightly, and soil erosion decreased significantly. This study reveals that biochar can be used as a potential measure to prevent soil and water loss on sloping farmland in cold regions.

Keywords: evaluation of soil and water conservation; simulated rainfall events; soil denudation; water and sediment process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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