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The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties. / Stephen Aston

Swansea University Author: Stephen Aston

Abstract

Biochar production and application to soil can mitigate climate change and improve soil quality. This thesis investigated the influence of biochar preparation methods and application rates on the hydrological and erosional characteristics of biochars themselves and the soils to which they were appli...

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Published: 2014
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42257
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first_indexed 2018-08-02T18:54:16Z
last_indexed 2018-08-03T10:09:40Z
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spelling 2018-08-02T16:24:28.5889881 v2 42257 2018-08-02 The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties. 93c0fa1616c34f58e834e59ff57334ae NULL Stephen Aston Stephen Aston true true 2018-08-02 Biochar production and application to soil can mitigate climate change and improve soil quality. This thesis investigated the influence of biochar preparation methods and application rates on the hydrological and erosional characteristics of biochars themselves and the soils to which they were applied. Biochar hydrophobicity was influenced by feedstock and decreased with increasing highest treatment temperature (HTT). Biochar did not influence soil wettability and the effect of HTT on biochar porosity was more important for soil water-holding capacity than its effect on hydrophobicity. HTT affected biochar yield, cation exchange-capacity and provision of fungal substrates. HTT also significantly influenced the effect of biochar on soil suction. Smaller feedstock particles produced biochars that were slightly more hydrophobic than those produced from larger particles. The effects of biochar application on the properties of sandy loam were influenced by biochar particle size, because larger particles had less effect on bulk density and had slower water uptake. A low biochar application rate (5 g kg-1) had no effect on the aggregate stability of a silt loam and did not affect the hydrological and erosional response of the soil under simulated rainfall. Application rates of 25 and 50 g kg-1 reduced aggregate stability, which led to surface sealing and overland flow generation occurring more readily. However, there was no more erosion of these soils than those with low or zero biochar content, and the crusts formed by seal drying were much weaker than those formed on soils with low or zero biochar. Biochar was preferentially eroded from the soils, regardless of the application rate used. HTT and particle size can have important implications both for the properties of biochar itself and for its effects on soil properties. However, biochar may only substantially influence soil hydrology and erosion when applied at sufficiently high rates. E-Thesis Environmental engineering.;Soil sciences. 31 12 2014 2014-12-31 COLLEGE NANME Geography COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral Ph.D 2018-08-02T16:24:28.5889881 2018-08-02T16:24:28.5889881 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography Stephen Aston NULL 1 0042257-02082018162440.pdf 10797965.pdf 2018-08-02T16:24:40.3070000 Output 28019225 application/pdf E-Thesis true 2018-08-02T16:24:40.3070000 false
title The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
spellingShingle The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
Stephen Aston
title_short The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
title_full The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
title_fullStr The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
title_full_unstemmed The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
title_sort The impacts of biochar application on soil hydrology, erosion and related properties.
author_id_str_mv 93c0fa1616c34f58e834e59ff57334ae
author_id_fullname_str_mv 93c0fa1616c34f58e834e59ff57334ae_***_Stephen Aston
author Stephen Aston
author2 Stephen Aston
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2014
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Biochar production and application to soil can mitigate climate change and improve soil quality. This thesis investigated the influence of biochar preparation methods and application rates on the hydrological and erosional characteristics of biochars themselves and the soils to which they were applied. Biochar hydrophobicity was influenced by feedstock and decreased with increasing highest treatment temperature (HTT). Biochar did not influence soil wettability and the effect of HTT on biochar porosity was more important for soil water-holding capacity than its effect on hydrophobicity. HTT affected biochar yield, cation exchange-capacity and provision of fungal substrates. HTT also significantly influenced the effect of biochar on soil suction. Smaller feedstock particles produced biochars that were slightly more hydrophobic than those produced from larger particles. The effects of biochar application on the properties of sandy loam were influenced by biochar particle size, because larger particles had less effect on bulk density and had slower water uptake. A low biochar application rate (5 g kg-1) had no effect on the aggregate stability of a silt loam and did not affect the hydrological and erosional response of the soil under simulated rainfall. Application rates of 25 and 50 g kg-1 reduced aggregate stability, which led to surface sealing and overland flow generation occurring more readily. However, there was no more erosion of these soils than those with low or zero biochar content, and the crusts formed by seal drying were much weaker than those formed on soils with low or zero biochar. Biochar was preferentially eroded from the soils, regardless of the application rate used. HTT and particle size can have important implications both for the properties of biochar itself and for its effects on soil properties. However, biochar may only substantially influence soil hydrology and erosion when applied at sufficiently high rates.
published_date 2014-12-31T03:52:37Z
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score 11.019091

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