Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China

Xiao, Zhaoxing; Lv, Shuang; Fu, Qiang; Li, Tianxiao; Hou, Renjie; Li, Mo; Liu, Dong

doi:10.3390/agriculture16010061

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Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China

by

Zhaoxing Xiao

^1,2,3,4,†,

Shuang Lv

^1,2,3,4,†,

Qiang Fu

^1,2,3,4,*

,

Tianxiao Li

^1,2,3,4

,

Renjie Hou

^1,2,3,4,

Mo Li

^1,2,3,4

and

Dong Liu

^1,2,3,4

¹

School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

²

Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation on Cold Region Black Soil Habitat Health of Ministry of Education, Harbin 150030, China

³

Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

⁴

Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Agriculture 2026, 16(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16010061 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 3 November 2025 / Revised: 19 December 2025 / Accepted: 23 December 2025 / Published: 26 December 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Soils)

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Abstract

In the seasonal frozen soil region of Northeast China, freeze–thaw processes destabilize soil structure and elevate the risk of spring flooding. While biochar and straw are recognized for their ability to enhance soil structure, their regulatory effects on the characteristics of frozen front migration and snowmelt infiltration in this region have not been thoroughly investigated. This study conducted indoor simulation experiments in 2024, establishing three different initial moisture contents (W1: 20%, W2: 15%, W3: 10%) and four distinct regulation measures (CK: blank control, B: 1.0% biochar, J: 0.5% straw, BJ: 1.0% biochar and 0.5% straw) to investigate the influence of various regulation modes on snowmelt water infiltration in freeze–thaw soils. The experimental results indicate that the application of biochar and straw significantly enhances soil aggregate stability, with the BJ treatment increasing small pores by 58.25–60.17% and micropores by 26.69–77.71%. The application of biochar and straw can increase both the migration depth of the soil freezing front and its average migration velocity. An appropriate amount of biochar and straw can enhance the cumulative soil infiltration amount and infiltration rate. Additionally, biochar and straw enhance the relationship between the cumulative soil infiltration amount and the migration characteristics of the freezing front.

Keywords: soil physical properties; biochar; straw; freezing front; infiltration process

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MDPI and ACS Style

Xiao, Z.; Lv, S.; Fu, Q.; Li, T.; Hou, R.; Li, M.; Liu, D. Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China. Agriculture 2026, 16, 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16010061

AMA Style

Xiao Z, Lv S, Fu Q, Li T, Hou R, Li M, Liu D. Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China. Agriculture. 2026; 16(1):61. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16010061

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xiao, Zhaoxing, Shuang Lv, Qiang Fu, Tianxiao Li, Renjie Hou, Mo Li, and Dong Liu. 2026. "Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China" Agriculture 16, no. 1: 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16010061

APA Style

Xiao, Z., Lv, S., Fu, Q., Li, T., Hou, R., Li, M., & Liu, D. (2026). Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China. Agriculture, 16(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16010061

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Effects of Biochar and Straw Regulation on Snowmelt Infiltration in Seasonal Frozen Soil Regions of Northeast China

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