Abstract
To assess biochar effect on soil microbial biomass, community and enzymatic activities, degraded acidic soil was amended with three different rates (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%) of oak wood biochar (W0.5, W1.0 and W2.0) and bamboo biochar (B0.5, B1.0 and B2.0), with control as 0%. The soil and the biochar were mixed thoroughly, wetted and incubated at a constant temperature of 25°C. The amended soil properties were evaluated after the 1st, 8th and 16th weeks of the incubation. It was found that soil pH, total organic carbon (TOC) and urease increased significantly with increasing biochar rate while the activity of acid phosphatase decreased, the reason can be the inverse correlation of this enzyme with soil pH. TOC had positive correlation with urease. The β-glucosidase correlated positively with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and negatively with C/N, suggesting that mineralization of organic matter provides substrates for this enzyme. The highest microbial biomass C as well as total Phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) was observed at the lowest rates, particularly the treatment of W0.5 had higher relative abundance of soil bacteria, fungi and gram-positive bacteria. Our results suggest that biochar application improve the fertility of degraded red soil by increasing soil pH, TOC and DOC which, in turn, enhance soil enzymes, microbial biomass and community. Key words: Biochar, enzymes, microbial biomass, microbial community, phospholipid fatty acids.
Highlights
IntroductionBy incorporating biochar to soils as means of increasing soil fertility and carbon sequestration (Lehmann et al., 2006)
In response to the need of more sustainable agricultural production and in order to tackle global warming, there are attempts to recreate Terra Preta (Glaser, 2007)by incorporating biochar to soils as means of increasing soil fertility and carbon sequestration (Lehmann et al., 2006)
Biochar effects on soil pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total organic C and Incorporation of biochar to soils could result in an increase or decrease in soils pH, depending on the pH
Summary
By incorporating biochar to soils as means of increasing soil fertility and carbon sequestration (Lehmann et al., 2006). Biochar is the carbon-rich product obtained when biomass is heated in a closed container with little or no available air with the purpose to amend soil (Lehmann and Joseph, 2009). By increasing soil pH, biochar has been proved to ameliorate soil acidity (Yuan et al, 2011). This effect could benefit China where soil acidification is a major problem in soils of intensive agricultural systems such as extremely leached red soils (Argi-Udic Ferrosols) and yellow soils (Ali- Periudic Argosols), the most acidic.
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