Abstract
Changes of the addition of poultry litter (PL) and poultry litter biochar (PLB) on quantitative and qualitative humus parameters in loamy sand were estimated during the 5-year study period. The following properties were determined in soil: pH, total carbon (Ctotal), total nitrogen (Ntotal), humic and fulvic acids, extracted carbon, and non-hydrolysing carbon. Additionally, light absorbance in the solutions of humic acids was computed at the wavelength of 280, 465, and 665 nm. It was demonstrated that organic matter mineralisation was most intense in soil with the addition of PL, causing significant quantitative and qualitative changes in humus compounds in soil. A slower rate of organic matter mineralisation was observed in soil amended with PLB, especially in a dose of 5.0 t ha−1, which indicated the long-term effect of this material on improving soil properties. Spectrophotometric indexes for the solution of humic acids also showed that PLB had a more favourable effect on the structure durability and lower mobility of humic acid carbon compared with PL. The application of PL and PLB significantly increased the non-hydrolysing carbon content in soil, indicating greater stabilisation of humus compounds and, at the same time, lower CO2 emissions. It was found that the addition of organic materials to soil significantly increased the soil organic carbon contents. Our study has shown that the identification of changes that may occur in the quantitative and qualitative composition of soil humus after the application of PLB may be helpful in determining the appropriate biochar dose.Graphical abstract
Highlights
Soil organic matter (SOM) has a positive effect on soil sorption and buffering properties and biological activity; it stabilises soil structure, limiting its degradation [1]
The results obtained allowed to state the increase in the electrical conductivity (EC) values in all treatments after the fifth year of the experiment, regardless of fertilisation applied, compared with the values obtained after the first year
Organic carbon stocks (SCS) in soil are conditioned by many factors, such as climate, soil properties, cultivation type, fertilisation type, irrigation, or the type and frequency of agro-technical operations performed [39]
Summary
Soil organic matter (SOM) has a positive effect on soil sorption and buffering properties and biological activity; it stabilises soil structure, limiting its degradation [1]. A significant amount of organic waste is generated on farms and during processing of poultry feedstock. Poland is a significant poultry producer in Europe and in the world. It is estimated that the production of poultry livestock in Poland in 2018 amounted to over 3.5 million tonnes and was by 4.4% higher than in 2017 [2]. The poultry industry development generates more and more organic waste, including significant amounts of poultry litter. Maintaining the current pace of poultry production requires limiting the negative effect of farms on the environment and increasing farmers’ awareness of how to manage faeces and waste from poultry farms [3]. Improper application of poultry litter directly to the soil may pose both chemical and biological hazards to the environment
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