Effects of nano carbon on soil erosion and nutrient loss in a semi-arid loess region of Northwestern China

Beibei Zhou,Quanjiu Wang,Xiaopeng Chen,Wei Wei,Tiancheng Zhang

doi:10.25165/j.ijabe.20181101.2775

Abstract

Since 2005, the application of nano carbon (NC) in agriculture and environmental remediation has received considerable attention with most of the research focusing on plant growth and heavy metal absorption. However, little is known about the potential effects of NC on soil erosion and nutrient loss. In this study, rainfall simulation tests were conducted on a soil plot (1 m × 1 m, located in a semi-arid loess region of northwestern China), in which a mixture (5-cm below the soil surface) of NC (0, 0.1%, 0.5%, 0.7% and 1.0% on a mass base) and sandy soil (same as the one in the plot) was embedded as three bands (5 cm wide, 1 m long and 5 cm thick) at the three positions (top, middle and bottom of the plot), respectively. Before the rainfall simulation test, a mixed solution of potassium bromide (1.0 mol/L KBr), potassium nitrate (1.0 mol/L KNO3), monopotassium phosphate (1.0 mol/L KH2PQ4) was sprayed on the soil surface. Results showed that the sandy soil on the Loess Plateau with 0.7% NC addition (36.47 kg/hm2 on a mass basis) could improve soil water runoff, sediment yield, and nutrient loss in the semi-arid loess region of northwestern China, in addition to preventing soil water from deep percolation. Therefore, NC may have a great potential in soil erosion control on the Loess Plateau of China. Keywords: nano carbon, soil erosion, rainfall simulation tests, runoff, sediment, nutrient loss, semi-arid loess region DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20181101.2775 Citation: Zhou B B, Chen X P, Wang Q J, Wei W, Zhang T C. Effects of nano carbon on soil erosion and nutrient loss in a semi-arid loess region of Northwestern China. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(1): 138–145.

Highlights

The semi-arid loess region of northwestern China is a transitional zone between the southeastern humid monsoon climate and the northwestern continental dry climate; it has a high soil erosion (1000-15 000 t/km2) and severe nutrient loss due to low vegetation coverage[1,2]
In order to control serious soil erosion and nutrient loss, a great effort has been made since the end of 1950s[3]
About 24% of the worst areas have been controlled, and the vegetation coverage on the Loess Plateau has been increased from 31.6% in 1999 to 59.6% in 2013[4,5,6]

Summary

Introduction

The semi-arid loess region of northwestern China is a transitional zone between the southeastern humid monsoon climate and the northwestern continental dry climate; it has a high soil erosion (1000-15 000 t/km2) and severe nutrient loss due to low vegetation coverage[1,2]. In order to control serious soil erosion and nutrient loss, a great effort has been made since the end of 1950s[3]. About 24% of the worst areas have been controlled, and the vegetation coverage on the Loess Plateau has been increased from 31.6% in 1999 to 59.6% in 2013[4,5,6]. Since the 1990s, different kinds of soil amendment, such as polyacrlamides (PAM) and biochar (or black carbon) have been applied to the soil on the Loess Plateau for controlling soil erosion and nutrient loss[7,8]. The chemical characteristic of PAM and its non-improvement in soil organic carbon are still serious problems to overcome. The applied amount is huge-always in tons per hectare, together with its moveable with the runoff, making biochar’s use in the fields be unpractical

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion