The effects of combinations of biochar, lime, and organic fertilizer on nitrification and nitrifiers

Abstract

Here, we report results from a field experiment investigating the application of biochars, lime, organic fertilizer, and their combinations. Soil pH was increased by ameliorants. Wheat biochar produced the largest increase, of approximately 2 pH units, and mixed treatment (one third rice husk biochar, one third lime, and one third organic fertilizer) also caused large increases, of almost 1 pH unit. There was strong evidence that the ratio of ammonia-oxidizing archaea to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance greatly increased with decreased soil pH, indicating that soil pH was an important factor affecting the abundance of AOB. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing showed that the soil ameliorants significantly increased the relative abundances of Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira. Soil pH was an important determinant of the bacterial community composition and diversity. Our study suggests that the ameliorants (biochar, lime, organic fertilizer, and their combinations) change soil nitrification by altering nitrifying bacteria abundance, diversity, and composition, caused by the changed soil pH.