Development of a Hybrid Coconut Fiber - Biochar Biomantle for Bioengineering Applications

Authors

Pineda-Herrera, Juan Camilo

Pineda-Jaimes, Jorge Arturo

Larrañaga-Rubio, Sherley Catheryne

Abstract

Land uses in South America have undergone historical changes associated with the development of civil infrastructure and urban growth, particularly, human activities associated with development have caused large areas of erosion and the occurrence of landslides, increasing the socioeconomic risk to exposed communities in developing countries. Landslides susceptibility have been maximized by the effects of global climate change. An alternative for the recovery of eroded surfaces, including slopes, is the recovery of plant cover as part of bioengineering works using restoration mantles with biological components, also called biomantles. This work presents advances of a research focused on the combined effect of coconut fiber and the implementation of biochar for the development of a composed bio-mantle that seeks to promote a positive effect, at low cost, from environmentally sustainable materials on growth of plant individuals of the genus “Lupinus sp” under controlled conditions. We found that the coconut fiber - biochar biomantle setup had a very positive impact on the development of the plants, show a promising alternative for future applications on soil ecological recovery. Understanding the development potential of a combined coverture with coconut fiber and biochar is a topic of key interest for the development and maintenance of sustainable infrastructure and the recovery of eroded areas in tropical countries such as Colombia.