Cornell University
Library
Cornell UniversityLibrary

eCommons

Help
Log In(current)
  1. Home
  2. Cornell University Graduate School
  3. Cornell Theses and Dissertations
  4. Modeling Simple Experiments Of Biochar Erosion From Soil

Modeling Simple Experiments Of Biochar Erosion From Soil

File(s)
cw625.pdf (1.27 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/33991
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Wang, Chaozi
Abstract

Biochar is often promoted as an amendment to improve soil quality. However, researchers have recently noted that biochar and similar substances preferentially erode from soil, which may reduce its effectiveness. Identifying the erosion mechanisms may help develop strategies for retaining biochar in soil. To investigate the role of raindrop impact biochar erosion, we applied the Hairsine-Rose erosion model to small-scale experiments that simulated rainfall on a simple biochar-soil mixture. The Hairsine-Rose model simulated the biochar concentrations in runoff well for the early part of the experiments but under-predicted the concentrations for longer times. After the simulated rainfall experiments we found that biochar content increased with depth in the soil column from 1% near the surface to 8% in underlying soil layer; similar distributions have been observed for soil, which drives upwards diffusion. By superimposing the Wallach diffusion model on the Hairsine-Rose model we were able to simulate biochar concentrations at both short and long times. We speculate that the relatively dense sand particles are displacing the biochar and we are investigating this further. Our findings suggest that long-term sequestration of biochar in soil is unlikely in soils or parts of the landscape with limited infiltration capacity.

Date Issued
2013-05-26
Keywords
splash erosion
•
diffusion
•
rainfall simulation
•
biochar
•
black carbon
•
transport
Committee Chair
Walter, Michael Todd
Committee Member
Parlange, Jean-Yves
Degree Discipline
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Degree Name
M.S., Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Degree Level
Master of Science
Type
dissertation or thesis

Site Statistics | Help

About eCommons | Policies | Terms of use | Contact Us

copyright © 2002-2026 Cornell University Library | Privacy | Web Accessibility Assistance