Regular Biochar and Bacteria-Inoculated Biochar Alter the Composition of the Microbial Community in the Soil of a Chinese Fir Plantation

Liguo Song,Zhichao Li,Qiwu Sun,Yongqiang Zhang,Lingyu Hou,Wenzheng Wang

doi:10.3390/f11090951

Abstract

Biochar is a promising material for the improvement of soil quality. However, studies on biochar have mostly been carried out in laboratory conditions or have focused on agricultural aspects. The impacts of the application of biochar on soil characteristics and related ecological processes of the forest ecosystem have not been fully resolved. In this study, we investigated the effects of regular biochar and bacteria-loaded biochar on the microbial communities in the bulk soil and the rhizosphere soil of an annual Chinese fir plantation. In early spring (April), the two types of biochar were added to the soil at the rates of 2.22 t·ha−1, 4.44 t·ha−1, 6.67 t·ha−1, 8.89 t·ha−1, and 11.11 t·ha−1 by ring furrow application around the seedlings, and soil samples were collected at the end of autumn (November). The results showed that biochar addition increased the soil nutrient content and promoted the growth and diversity of soil microbial communities. The diversity of soil fungi was significantly increased, and the diversity of soil bacteria was significantly decreased. Principal component analysis under the different biochar types and application rates demonstrated that microbial communities differed significantly between the treatments and controls and that the effect of biochar on the microbial community of the bulk soil was more significant than that of the rhizosphere soil. Under the same dosage, the effect of bacteria-loaded biochar on soil was more significant than that of regular biochar.

Highlights

Maintaining plant health and promoting plant productivity are the abilities of healthy soil [1].many plantations with rapid growth and intensive management have resulted in areas with soil nutrient deficiency
Some studies showed that the application of biochar pyrolyzed from yeast enhances promoted fungi, while the glucose-derived biochar promotes the growth of soil bacteria [29]. These results indicate that the impact of biochar application on the structure of the soil microbial community is complicated, especially since the application of biochar influences soil physicochemical properties, which may lead to complex interactions which affect soil microbial community characteristics
The PCAs of the fungal and bacterial communities in the rhizosphere soil demonstrated that fungal communities of MRS1–MRS4 were significantly different from that of the control, and the bacterial communities of BRS and MRS2 were significantly different from that of the control (Figure 8C,D). These findings indicated that the effect of biochar addition on soil microbial community was more significant in bulk soil than in rhizosphere soil

Summary

Introduction

Maintaining plant health and promoting plant productivity are the abilities of healthy soil [1].many plantations with rapid growth and intensive management have resulted in areas with soil nutrient deficiency. In recent decades in particular, the rapid extension of plantations that mainly involve clear cutting, conversion of natural forests into pure forests, repeated planting of the same tree species, and the enforcement of long-term intensive plantation management has deteriorated soil health and reduced productivity [2,3,4], drawing attention to the need for long-term soil quality and sustainable production systems [5]. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolate (Lamb.), Hook), is one of the most important tree species for timber production in southern China due to its high yield and excellent wood quality. It is a fast-growing, evergreen coniferous tree. Native forests are often transformed into pure Chinese fir Forests 2020, 11, 951; doi:10.3390/f11090951 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests

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