Evaluating Organic Biopore Treatment as a Nature-Based Solution for Sustainable Land Management Using Time-Lapse ERT and NDVI

This study investigates the near-surface hydraulic response to organic biopore treatment by integrating time-lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and precipitation data. A 100 m treatment profile was equipped with 14 organic biopores (0.5 m depth), which were refilled every 15 days over a five-month period using a mixture of organic waste, soil, and liquid organic fertilizer, while a parallel profile was maintained as an untreated control. Time-lapse ERT results reveal systematic resistivity variations along the treated profile compared to the control, indicating subsurface structural modification rather than simple moisture accumulation. Stronger resistivity responses are observed at shallow and intermediate depths in the treated line, whereas the control profile shows weaker and less organized variations. NDVI time-series analysis further indicates enhanced vegetation response in the treated area, particularly during periods of increased precipitation, suggesting improved root-zone functioning. Complementary soil characterization using XRF, XRD, and micro-CT analysis confirms that biopore treatment primarily modifies soil physical structure rather than chemical composition, with increased porosity and pore connectivity observed in treated samples. These findings indicate that organic biopores enhance near-surface hydraulic behaviour by improving soil structure and vegetation response, rather than acting as direct short-term groundwater storage systems. As a low-cost, nature-based solution, this approach offers practical potential for sustainable land and water management in riparian environments and supports broader sustainability goals.