Institute of Hydrology
Topic
Effect of Hydrophilic Biochar Application on Reducing Water Repellency in Sandy Soils
PhD. program
Landscape Engineering, Agriculture and Landscaping
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Ing. Peter Šurda, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering SUA
Annotation
Soil water repellency is currently a hot issue being addressed by researchers worldwide, with sandy soils particularly prone to this phenomenon. Hydrophobic sandy soils pose a significant risk for two reasons: (i) they reduce water infiltration, leading to increased surface runoff and erosion, and (ii) they limit water availability to plants, negatively affecting their growth and productivity. This problem is also relevant to conditions in Slovakia, where sandy soils are less common, especially in the areas of the Záhorská lowland, part of the Podunajská lowland and the Východoslovenská lowland. These soils are used for growing crops (maize, oilseed rape), but due to their low fertility, susceptibility to erosion and potential water repellency, they are often grassed over, afforested or, in some cases, abandoned.
The scientific hypothesis of the dissertation: the application of hydrophilic biochar can effectively reduce the water repellency of sandy soils, with the degree of this effect depending on the dose of biochar and the source of hydrophobic substances in the soil (bacteria, fungi, plants).
This thesis will aim to analyze the effect of the application of hydrophilic biochar on the reduction of the water repellency (contact angle) of sandy soil and the associated changes in soil hydrophysical properties (hydraulic conductivity, retention capacity, bulk density) with particular reference to different sources of hydrophobic substances.
The scientific hypothesis of the dissertation: the application of hydrophilic biochar can effectively reduce the water repellency of sandy soils, with the degree of this effect depending on the dose of biochar and the source of hydrophobic substances in the soil (bacteria, fungi, plants).
This thesis will aim to analyze the effect of the application of hydrophilic biochar on the reduction of the water repellency (contact angle) of sandy soil and the associated changes in soil hydrophysical properties (hydraulic conductivity, retention capacity, bulk density) with particular reference to different sources of hydrophobic substances.