title: Biochars impact on water infiltration and water quality through a compacted subsoil layer.
abstract: Soils in the SE USA Coastal Plain region frequently have a compacted subsoil layer (E horizon), which is a barrier for water infiltration. Four different biochars were evaluated to increase water infiltration through a compacted horizon from a Norfolk soil (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, Typic Kandiudult). In addition, we also evaluated biochars effect on water quality. Biochars were produced by pyrolysis at 500 °C from pine chips (Pinus taeda), poultry litter (Gallus domesticus) feedstocks, and as blends (50:50 and 80:20) of pine chip:poultry litter. Prior to pyrolysis, the feedstocks were pelletized and sieved to >2-mm pellets. Each biochar was mixed with the subsoil at 20 g/kg (w/w) and the mixture was placed in columns. The columns were leached four times with Milli-Q water over 128 d of incubation. Except for the biochar produced from poultry litter, all other applied biochars resulted in significant water infiltration increases (0.157-0.219 mL min(-1); p<0.05) compared to the control (0.095 mL min(-1)). However, water infiltration in each treatment were influenced by additional water leaching. Leachates were enriched in PO4, SO4, Cl, Na, and K after addition of poultry litter biochar, however, their concentrations declined in pine chip blended biochar treatments and after multiple leaching. Adding biochars (except 100% poultry litter biochar) to a compacted subsoil layer can initially improve water infiltration, but, additional leaching revealed that the effect remained only for the 50:50 pine chip:poultry litter blended biochar while it declined in other biochar treatments.
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA. Electronic address: jeff.novak@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sigua
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
authors.forename: Keri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shumaker
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Coastal Plain Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szogi
authors.affiliation: US-EPA, Western Ecology Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 Southwest 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Soil & Water Management Research Unit, 1991 Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spokas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011200:Poultry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; C540010:biochar; D014867:Water; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Biochars; Soil water infiltration; Ultisol; Water quality