Response of soil carbon dioxide emission, soil organic carbon andmicrobial community to biochar addition with nitrogen optimizing

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5205540/v1

Download PDF

Article

Response of soil carbon dioxide emission, soil organic carbon andmicrobial community to biochar addition with nitrogen optimizing

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5205540/v1

This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License

You are reading this latest preprint version

A three-year field study was conducted to investigate the CO₂ emissions from irrigation wheat fields in response to biochar addition and nitrogen optimizing. Eight treatments were established: (1) control (without any fertilizers or biochar addition, CK), (2) nitrogen fertilizer application alone (300kg/hm², N1), (3) biochar application alone (20t/hm², B), (4) nitrogen fertilizer applied with biochar (N1B), (5) nitrogen fertilizer applied with 15% reduction (255kg/hm², N2), (6) 15% reduction of nitrogen fertilizer + biochar (N2B), (7) nitrogen fertilizer applied with 30% reduction (210kg/hm², N3), and (8) 30% reduction of nitrogen fertilizer + biochar (N3B), each treatment has three replicates. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of biochar addition and nitrogen optimized levels on soil carbon dioxide emission, soil organic carbon and microbial community. The findings indicated that the application of biochar and/or nitrogen fertilizer, particularly in combination, was observed to increase soil organic carbon and soil active organic carbon. Biochar application decreased CO₂ emissions in wheat fields, compared with the non-amendment treatment. Biochar addition combined with optimized nitrogen also make a different CO₂ emission rate. This improvement was attributed to the capacity of biochar to regulate soil microbial community composition, like soil functional diversity, soil microorganisms (fungi and bacterial), soil properties (pH, soil bulk density). In conclusion, biochar addition with nitrogen optimizing (B1N2) regime was determined to be the optimal approach for wheat field in irrigated region northern Xinjiang, resulting in enhanced soil organic carbon and the mitigation of carbon emissions. Nevertheless, further investigation of its long-term impact on farmland is recommended.

Biochar

Soil organic carbon

CO2 emossion

Nitrogen

Fertilizers are substances applied to the soil for nourishing plants and benefiting their growth. Based on their convenience and efficacy, chemical fertilizers are important materials that contribute to increasing the crop yield and securing stable crop productivity ¹. However, overuse of chemical fertilizers on agricultural land results in an imbalance of nutrients in the soil and lowers the soil organic matter content². In particular, a decrease in the organic matter content of agricultural soils degrades the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, thereby reducing soil fertility³. Consequently, the continued use of chemical fertilizers affects crop production by decreasing the soil quality⁴. Biochar application as a soil amendment has been considered as one of the ways that focus on the environmental concerns related to existing agricultural practices (such as the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers)⁵. Utilizing biochar as a soil amendment to enhance soil quality and crop production has been stated by many authors^6,7. The benefits of using biochar include not only enhancing carbon sequestration but also improving soil fertility. It is also suggested that the combined applications of biochar and N fertilizers or a nutrient application containing available N will likely increase crop productivity, improve the efficiency of N application^7,8,9. However, soil biological properties are related to the profound influences of biochar on soil carbon stabilization, including affecting respiration, microbial communities and enzymatic activities¹⁰, which significantly affect soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Meanwhile, biochar amendment can change the soil chemical properties, including soil pH¹¹ and increased cation exchange capacity leading to nutrient retention^12,13,14, while soil microbes (bacteria and fungi) are sensitive to environmental changes when biochar applied¹⁵. Thus, understanding biochar's effect on soil microbes is essential due to microbial roles in soil processes¹⁶, like soil microbes are responsible for up to 100% of decomposition¹⁷. Furthermore, the potential of biochar amendment to improve soil C-sink capacity (e.g., soil SOC and MBC contents) and its effect on soil CO₂ fluxes are still under debate. In addition to understanding the effects on soil CO₂ fluxes, there is a need to understand whether biochar amendment will enhance soil organic C (SOC) sequestration. However, both positive and negative effects of biochar amendment on SOC storage have been reported in previous studies^18,19. Thus, it is important to thoroughly understand its impacts on SOC mineralization and the underlying mechanisms, before biochar is widely used as a soil amendment.

Based on existing knowledge, we hypothesized that soil microbial communities and soil respiration are affected by interactions of biochar and nitrogen, which closely depend on the addition rate of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer. We conducted a biochar and nitrogen interaction field experiment for three years in the northern Xinjiang China (1) to explore the impacts of biochar on soil respiration at different nitrogen levels and (2) to understand the effects of biochar and nitrogen interaction on soil organic carbon, soil physiochemical properties, and the soil microbial community. If evidence shows that biochar stimulates CO₂ emissions, maintaining high soil organic carbon, then the potential of this agronomical practice may be even more successful than expected. This study also aims to provide scientific basis for reducing CO₂ emissions and improve the nitrogen utilization efficiency of irrigation fields. In addition, the sensitivities of CO₂ emissions are to be quantified under different nitrogen application rates and biochar addition.

2.1 Experimental site

This study was performed in the Qitai Wheat Test Station in Xinjiang (longitude 89°13′ to 91°22′ east, latitude 42°25′ to 45°29′N). The study site has a temperate continental climate, with a mean annual temperature of 5.5°C, a mean temperature in July of 22.6°C, a maximum temperature of 39°C, a mean temperature in January of -18.9°C. The average annual relative humidity is 60%, and the mean frost-free season is 153 days spanning from late April to early October. The area revealed an average of 269.4 mm of precipitation annually. The soil at the test site was of a sandy loam variety, with a soil organic matter content (0–20 cm) of 15.15 g/kg, a total nitrogen level of 0.93 g/kg, an available phosphorus level of 7.10 mg/kg, an available potassium level of 35.1mg/kg, and a pH of 8.2.

2.2 Experimental design

A total of 24 plots (35m² each) were established in a completely randomized factorial design at the research station. Eight treatments were established: (1) control (without any fertilizers or biochar addition, CK), (2) nitrogen fertilizer application alone (300kg/hm², N1), (3) biochar application alone (20t/hm², B), (4) nitrogen fertilizer applied with biochar (BN1), (5) nitrogen fertilizer applied with 15% reduction (255kg/hm², N2), (6) 15% reduction of nitrogen fertilizer + biochar (BN2), (7) nitrogen fertilizer applied with 30% reduction (210kg/hm², N3), and (8) 30% reduction of nitrogen fertilizer + biochar (BN3), each treatment has three replicates. The nitrogen fertilizer was urea and the locally recommended rate was 300 kg N ha^− 1(N1). Prior to sowing, appropriate amounts of biochar were scattered evenly by hand over the surface of the study plots one time at the start of the experimental period, after which a rotary cultivator was used to thoroughly mix the biochar with the 0–30 cm soil layer. No further biochar application was performed over the two-year study interval. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied a single time in the form of urea (46% pure nitrogen). Sowing was performed via strip sowing at a planting density of 4.5 million plants/hm² with equal row spacing (20 cm). All other management practices were identical to those used for typical high-yield fields in the study site area.

The biochar was applied by Jinhefu Shenyang agricultural technology development corporation, China. The biochar was made from corn straw after heating at 450°C for 4h without oxygen. The biochar had a pH of 9.3, total nitrogen of 21.8 g/kg, available nitrogen of 5.4 mg/kg, available phosphorus of 200.9 mg/kg.

2.3 Soil Sampling

After wheat harvest in July, topsoil (30cm) samples were collected in each plot by randomly selecting five soil cores. Soils were immediately placed in a cooler until the end of the day when they were cooled to 4˚C until processing. Moist soil samples were subsampled for all analyses. Bulk density was calculated as dry mass per volume of the cylinder. No rocks were present in this soil, therefore total bulk density is presented. Soil pH was conducted on a 2:1 water:soil paste. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) was determined with ammonium acetate extract and base saturation was calculated as the sum of the cations²⁰. Active carbon was determined with a field kit using the modified permanganate oxidizable C method^21,22. Sample and standard absorbance was read on a Hach (Hach Company, Boulder, CO) colorimeter at 550 nm. In this method, the bleaching of the purple permanganate color is proportional to the amount of oxidizable C in the soil (i.e., the greater the color loss, the greater the amount of oxidizable C). The total soil organic carbon was measured as described by Jones and Willett²³. Briefly, the soil sample was extracted with distilled water for 30 min (soil/water ratio of 1:5). Then, they were shaken at 230 rpm and centrifuged at 4000 rpm. The extracted fluid was filtered through a 0.45-µm filter for total organic C concentration analysis of the sample using a multi-N/C analyzer (Analytik Jena 3100, Germany).

2.4 Isolation and enumeration of fungi and bacteria

Bacterial colony forming units were determined by the drop plate method²⁴. From the soil suspensions, we prepared three tenfold dilutions, and from each of these, five 10 µl drops were added to an agar plate (TSB, 3g l^− 1). All Petri dishes were prepared in duplicate. After the drops on the agar were dry, the Petri plates were inverted and incubated at 15°C. Colonies were counted using a Leica MZ6 modular stereomicroscope after 36 and 48 h. The number of viable fungi was found by the plating method on wort agar with streptomycin ^25,26.

2.5 Analysis of soil functional diversity

The functional diversity of the soil microbial community was determined using the BiologEco -plates²⁷. Soil (2.0 g) was shaken with 18 ml of sterilized saline solution (0.87% NaCl, w/v) for 20min. A liquots of 150 µl of this suspension were supplied to each well in BIOLOG ECO-plates (Hayward, California USA). During incubation, the plates were kept at 15°C in darkness. The absorbance of each well at 590 nm was measured over an 8-day period (18, 44, 68, 89, 115, 138, 182, and 206h) using an EL808 plate reader (BioTek, EL 808).

2.6 Determination of soil carbon dioxide emission

Three polyvinyl chloride (PVC) collars (10 cm in diameter and 5 cm in height) were vertically inserted 5 cm deep into the soil surface between crop rows in each plot three days before the first measurement. The soil around the outside wall of each PVC collar was tightly compacted to prevent gas leakage. Soil CO₂ emission from each PVC collar was measured weekly at 9:00–11:00 a.m. using a LI-8100 automated soil CO₂ flux system (LI-COR Inc., Lincoln, NE, USA) for the wheat growth period. Soil temperature at 5cm depth was measured using stem thermometers near the collar during CO₂ flux measurements.

Cumulative CO₂ emissions were the sum of the daily fluxes during the wheat growth season. The daily fluxes of unmeasured days were calculated by multiplying the mean of CO₂ fluxes of two adjacent measurement days with the corresponding period. The yield-scaled CO₂ emissions were calculated as cumulative CO₂ emissions/wheat yield²⁸.

2.7 Calculations

The average well color development (AWCD value) of BiologEco-plates indicates the carbon source metabolism strength of microbia communities, which is an important index of soil microbial activity and function diversity.

$$\:AWCD=\sum\:(C-R)/31$$

In this formula, C refers to the absorbance value of each well of 31 well, R refers to the absorbance value of control well.

Diversity indexes. AWCD value reflects the overall activity of soil microorganism. The diversity index reflects the detailed microbial community species composition and the individuals distribution, and the different aspects of microbial functional diversity. Common indexes include Mclntosh index U, Simpson index D, Shannon richness H.

1. Mclntosh index is used to measure the homogeneity degree of the community

$$\:\text{U}=\sqrt{\sum\:{\text{n}}_{\text{i}}^{2}}$$

2. Simpson index $\:\text{D}=1-\sum\:{p}_{\text{i}}^{2}$ reflects the most common species of the community, and was of ten used to assess the dominance degree of microbial community.

3. Shannon richness reflects the species richness. $\:\text{H}=-\sum\:{p}_{\text{i}}\text{ln}p$ (3)

In this formula, P refers to the ratio of the relative absorbance value of i well and the total relative absorbance value of the whole wells.

2.8 Statistical analysis

All data collected was subjected to SPSS version 21.0 (SPSS Incorporated, USA) to statistical analysis and given as means ± standard error (SE) based on the triplicated field treatment. We used one-way ANOVA to examine differences of measured parameters among the treatments, with separation of means tested by the least significant difference method (LSD) at the 95% confidence level.

3.1 Soil respiration and soil organic carbon

Soil respiration rate was affected by biochar addition. Overall, the CO₂ release sharply declined in the first 7 days, and then gradually stabilized with time during the whole incubation period for most of the treatments (Fig. 1b). The cumulative C mineralization was extreme significantly affected by the biochar amendment and nitrogen amount individually (p<0.01). Over the study period, the higher cumulative emissions occurred in BN1 and N3 while lower emissions were observed in CK and B (Fig. 1a). When biochar was added alone, there was no significant change in cumulative emissions relative to CK. However, when biochar and nitrogen were used together, cumulative CO₂ emissions increased by 9%-48% compared to CK (Fig. 1a). Similarly, the distribution of effect sizes across all observations was also normal for soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil active organic carbon (AOC). The SOC content showed a consistent pattern and was significantly increased as the biochar was applied (Fig. 2). The combined effect of biochar amendment with nitrogen was pronounced for SOC and AOC.

3.2 Soil microbial community composition

Biochar addition influence the functional diversity of the soil microbial community (Fig. 3). The AWCD values were extremely different in BN1 than those in CK, followed by the BN3, BN2 and B, which was much more clearly at the late incubation stage (after 72h). Meanwhile, the Shannon index and McIntosh index of the microbial community composition were significantly affected (Table 1), and the interaction between biochar treatment was significant for bacteria and for the ratio of total bacteria to fungi (Fig. 4). The microbial community and its components were lower when biochar added only than that biochar combined with nitrogen (Fig. 3, Table 1).

Figure 3 The functional diversity of the soil microbial community that shown as AWCD values

3.3 Soil properties

Data for soil CEC, soil pH and soil bulk density under different treatments were presented in Table 2. Soil bulk density decreased when biochar added. In particular, only biochar amendment caused a consistent decrease in soil bulk density by 0.19 g/cm³ as compared to the CK. While an increasing trend were found for soil bulk density when biochar amended with nitrogen (BN1, BN2, BN3). It was also happened for the Soil CEC. A slightly change of soil pH were found when biochar were applied, as compared with CK.

Table 1

The functional diversity index of the soil microbial community
Treatments		Simpson index	Shannon index	McIntosh index
CK		0.94 f	2.95 d	4.80 f
B		0.94 cd	3.02 c	5.32 e
N1		0.94 e	2.96 d	5.45 e
BN1		0.95 a	3.11 a	6.54 b
N2		0.94 de	3.00 c	5.86 c
BN2		0.95 bc	3.03 bc	5.41 e
N3		0.95 ab	3.07 b	7.08 a
BN3		0.94 c	3.03 bc	5.72 d
F	B	1.00	0.30	0.83
	N	1.63	0.94	0.83
	B×N	25.38**	18.36**	282.01**

Table 2

The soil Electrical conductivity, soil pH, and soil bulk density
Treatments		Electrical conductivity(us/cm)	pH	Soil bulk density(g/cm³)
CK		3.19×10²e	8.2 b	1.44 ab
B		3.14×10²f	8.3 b	1.25 d
N1		2.97×10²g	8.3 ab	1.47 ab
BN1		4.03×10²c	8.2 b	1.41 bc
N2		4.89×10²a	8.3 ab	1.41 bc
BN2		3.99×10²d	8.3 ab	1.36 c
N3		2.85×10²h	8.4 a	1.48 a
BN3		4.16×10²b	8.3 b	1.41 bc
F	B	2.46	0.74	18.92*
	N	1.79	5.36	11.01*
	B×N	12418.17**	3.95*	0.34

The combined effect of biochar amendment with N-fertilizer was significant for soil CO₂ emotion, it was also pronounced for the SOC (Fig. 1, Fig. 2). Generally, the increase in soil CO₂ emissions induced by the application of biochar may be explained by the increase of labile SOC pools and biochar-induced priming of native SOC mineralization, consequently contributing to the CO₂ production^29,30,31. Conversely, decreased soil CO₂ emissions induced by the application of biochar could be explained by the fact that biochar can absorb rhizodeposits and the enzymes in soils, thus inhibiting the C-degrading microbial activity and priming of native SOC^32,33,34. Maucieri et al.³⁵ also stated that the reduction of CO₂ emissions with the biochar application may have resulted from the reduction of available soil N as a result of immobilization and microbial biomass. Xiao et al.³⁶ observed that changes in overall CO₂ emissions after biochar application and N fertilizer depend on N fertilizer, regardless of the additional rate of biochar. Decreasing the CO₂ emission with biochar application implies SOC immobilization and a decrease in microbial activity due to nutrient sorption on the biochar’s surface area. Karhu et al.³⁷ reported that CO₂ emissions could be reduced either as a consequence of the adsorption of DOC on biochar surfaces or as protecting SOM, inside soil aggregates formed by biochar promoting decomposition. Furthermore, these also include influencing N mineralization and immobilization, alterations in the content and composition of the microbial communities and so on. Other studies have indicated that the increase in CO₂ emissions observed after biochar treatment is possibly related to the decreased bulk density of the soil and the increased level of microbial activity. Microbes play an efficient role in soil material cycling and energy flow. They influence the stabilization of biochar in soil³⁸, and affect soil biochemical cycles³⁹. In response, applied biochar can affect the performance of microorganisms directly by providing suitable habitats for them⁴⁰ and indirectly by improving soil water holding capacity and aeration⁴¹, also by ameliorating soil chemical properties⁴². Soil bulk density is the physical property that affects soil structure, water and nutrient transport, and soil aeration^43,44. Several researchers have reported that biochar application decreases soil bulk density ^45,46,47. Niu⁴⁸ and Kang⁴⁹ observed that biochar application resulted in decreased soil bulk density in upland soils. Our results are similar to those of Zhang⁵⁰, who reported that over a two-year period, maize field soil bulk density following biochar amendment (0, 20, and 40 t/hm²) was significantly decreased by 0.02–0.17 t/m³ after the conventional fertilization condition, and by 0.03–0.20 t/m³ after the balanced fertilization condition, as compared to the control treatment. Azeem et al.⁵¹ reported that in a mashed bean–wheat crop system, biochar application (0, 5, and 10 t/hm²) decreased the soil bulk density regardless of fertilizer conditions, as compared to the control treatment.

Soil pH and CEC are important indicators, and any alterations in these factors can influence the availability and retention of nutrients. Biochar application to upland soil increased the pH, and CEC, thereby improving the nutrient availability rate and improving the stability of crop productivity^52,53,54. Major et al.⁵⁵ reported that soil pH after four years of a biochar treatment of 20t/hm² was higher than pH values obtained after biochar treatments of 0 and 8 t/hm² at a depth of 30 cm. Carter et al.⁵⁶ and Kelly et al.⁵⁷ also reported that the higher the rate of biochar application, the higher the cultivated soil pH. Biochar is basically an alkaline substance with a high pH and therefore increases the soil pH. Additionally, alterations in the soil pH following biochar application are dependent on field conditions such as soil characteristics and crop growing period. Wu et al.⁵⁸ found that CO₂ emission in the alkaline soil was not affected by olive biochar application, while it was induced in the acidic soil. They attribute this likely to labile substances in this biochar, which are particularly mineralized in low soil pH. In this study, no significantly change were found in soil pH when biochar applied. Otherwise, the current study showed that the CEC results in soil were increased when biochar applied, presumably because biochar has a high specific surface area^59,60.

The mixed application of biochar and external fertilizers into the soil can reduce carbon transfer and is more conductive to carbon fixation⁶¹. The main reason is that the application of biochar and additional fertilizers (such as N and P fertilizers and organic fertilizers) increases the content of soil-available nutrients, promotes crop growth⁶². Lou et al.⁶³ have shown that the combined application of biochar with external fertilizers may promote the release of soluble organic matter and the mineralization of N but the benefits of carbon sequestration and emission reduction of biochar application itself and the benefits for improving crop growth are still available. Meanwhile, soil microbes are essential regulators of nutrient cycling and the transformation of organic matter⁶⁴. Biochar application has been proposed to both directly and indirectly impact these microbial communities via altering key abiotic factors such as soil pH and C availability^65,66. Furthermore, an alteration in the pore size distribution in the treated soil by biochar can have an important effect on the composition bacterial community. Zhang et al.⁶⁷ reported slow C and N release in the soil following biochar application and attributed this to a high concentration of recalcitrant OC in biochar, which is associated with changes in soil characteristics that affect microbial biomass. Thus, biochar application for improving crop cultivation and soil fertility requires an appropriate application rate which needs to be determined in accordance with the prevailing environmental conditions.

In conclusion, the application of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer for three years led to an increase in soil organic carbon. Biochar addition with nitrogen optimizing (BN2) regime could enhance soil organic carbon and the mitigation of carbon emissions. The findings make substantial advances to the comprehension of sustainable agricultural techniques that involve the application of biochar and the reasonable utilization of nitrogen fertilizer in irrigation region.

Author's contributions: The present report was conducted by ZLY, WZ under the guidance and supervision of YWJ. The studies were carefully selected, and the data was subjected to analysis by YWJ, ZLY, WZ, and ZJS. YWJ, ZLY drafted the report and subsequently evaluated and reviewed it by YWJ, LPY, SLL, and JHT. All the authors approved the final version of this study.

Availability of data and materials: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Funding: This project was financially supported by the Tianshan Talent Training Program (2023TSYCCX0085), the Regional Science Fund Project of the Natural Science Foundation of China (32260326), , and the earmarked fund for the Xinjiang Agriculture Research System (XJARS-01).

Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Srivastava, R. K., Panda, R. K., Chakraborty, A., & Halder, D. Enhancing grain yield, biomass and nitrogen use efficiency of maize by varying sowing dates and nitrogen rate under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Field Crop Res. 221, 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.06.019 (2018).
Li, G. et al. Controlled-release urea combining with optimal irrigation improved grain yield, nitrogen uptake, and growth of maize. Agric. Water Manag. 227, 105834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105834 (2020)
Lian, H. et al. A synergistic increase in water and nitrogen use efficiencies in winter wheat cultivars released between the 1940s and the 2010s for cultivation in the drylands of the shaanxi Province in China. Agric. Water Manag. 240, 106308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106308 (2020).
Ahmed, M., Rauf, M., Mukhtar, Z. & Saeed, N. A. Excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers: An unawareness causing serious threats to environment and human health. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 24, 26983–26987. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0589-7 (2017).
Harter, J. et al. Soil biochar amendment shapes the composition of N₂O-reducing microbial communities. Sci. Total Environ . 562,379–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.220 (2016).
Kang, S. W. et al. Effect of barley straw biochar application on greenhouse gas emissions from upland soil for Chinese cabbage cultivation in short-term laboratory experi-ment. J. Mountain Sci. 13,693–702. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11629-014-3428-z (2016).
Lan, Z. M. et al. Stoichiometric ratio of dissolved organic carbon to nitrate regulates nitrous oxide emission from the biochar-amended soils. Sci. Total Environ. 576, 559–571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.119 (2017).
Weldon, S. et al. The effect of a biochar temperature series on denitrification: which biochar properties matter? Soil Biol. Biochem. 35,173–183. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. soilb io. 2019. 04. 018 (2019).
Senbayram, M. et al. Effect of biochar origin and soil type on the greenhouse gas emission and the bacterial community structure in N fertilised acidic sandy and alkaline clay soil. Sci. Total Environ. 660,69–79. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. scito tenv. 2018. 12. 300 (2019).
Li, S. et al. Interactions between biochar and nitrogen impact soil carbon mineralization and the microbial community. Soil and Tillage Research. 196, 104437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104437 (2020).
Zhang, Y., Wang, J. & Feng, Y. The effects of biochar addition on soil physicochemical properties: A review. Catena. 202, 105284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105284 (2021).
Dey, S., et al. Enhancing cation and anion exchange capacity of rice straw biochar by chemical modification for increased plant nutrient retention. Sci. Total Environ. 886,163681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163681 (2023).
Antonangelo, J. A., Culman, S. & Zhang, H. Comparative analysis and prediction of cation exchange capacity via summation: influence of biochar type and nutrient ratios. Front Soil Sci. 4, 1371777. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2024.1371777 (2024).
Dai, Z. et al. Association of biochar properties with changes in soil bacterial, fungal and fauna communities and nutrient cycling processes. Biochar. 3, 239-254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-021-00099-x (2021).
Palansooriya, K. N. et al. Response of microbial communities to biochar-amended soils: a critical review. Biochar. 1, 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-019-00009-2 (2019).
Li, Y. F. et al. Effects of biochar application in forest ecosystems on soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions: a review. J. Soils Sediments. 18 (2), 546–563. https://doi.org/10.100 7/s11368-017-1906-y (2018).
Hattenschwiler, S., Tiunov, A.V. & Scheu, S. Biodiversity and litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 36 (1), 191–218. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.36.112904.151932 (2005).
Liang, B., Lehmann, J. & Sohi, S. et al. Black carbon affects the cycling of non-black carbon in soil. Org Geochem. 41, 206–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.09.007 (2010).
Cross, A., & Sohi, S. P. The priming potential of biochar products in relation to labile carbon contents and soil organic matter status. Soil Biol. Biochem. 43, 2127–2134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.06.016 (2011).
Sumner, M. E. & Miller, W. P. Cation exchange capacity and exchange coefficients. Methods of soil analysis: Part 3 Chemical methods. 5,1201-1229. (1996).
Tatzber, M. et al. KMnO4 determination of active carbon for laboratory routines: three long-term field experiments in Austria. Soil Res. 53(2), 190-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SR14200 (2015).
Lã, O. R. et al. A green and reliable titrimetric method for total organic carbon determination with potassium permanganate. Química Nova.46(2), 143-149. https://doi.org/10.21577/0100-4042.20170961 (2023).
Jones, D. L. & Willett, V. B. Experimental evaluation of methods to quantify dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil. Soil Biol. Biochem.38(5), 991-999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.08.012 (2006).
Herigstad, B., Hamilton, M. & Heersink, J. How to optimize the drop plate method for enumerating bacteria. J. Microbiol Meth. 44(2), 121-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-7012(00)00241-4 (2001).
Olsen, R. A. & Hovland, J. Fungal flora and activity in Norway spruce needle litter. Report. Department of Microbiology, Agricultural University of Norway. 41, 41. (1985).
Domsh, K., Gams, W. & Anderson, T. Compendium of soil fungi Academic Press London 809. (1980).
Garland, J. L. & Mills, A. L. Classification and characterization of heterotrophic microbial communities on the basis of patterns of community-level sole-carbon-source utilization. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57 (8), 2351–2359. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.57.8.2351-2359.1991 (1991).
Mehmood, F. et al. Impacts of irrigation managements on soil CO₂ emission and soil CH4 uptake of winter wheat field in the North China plain. Water. 13(15), 2052. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13152052 (2021).
Singh, B. P. & Cowie, A. L. Long-term influence of biochar on native organic carbon mineralisation in a low-carbon clayey soil. Sci. Rep-Uk. 4, 3687. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep03687 (2014).
Wang, Z. L. et al. Contrasting effects of bamboo leaf and its biochar on soil CO2 efflux and labile organic carbon in an intensively managed Chinese chestnut plantation. Biol. Fertil. Soils. 50, 1109–1119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-014-0933-8 (2014).
Reed, E.Y., Chadwick, D. R., Hill, P. W. & Jones, D.L. Critical comparison of the impact of biochar and wood ash on soil organic matter cycling and grassland productivity. Soil Biol. Biochem. 110, 134–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.012 (2017).
Ameloot, N. et al. C mineralization and microbial activity in four biochar field experiments several years after incorporation. Soil Biol. Biochem. 78, 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.08.004 (2014).
Zhang, Q. Z. et al. Effects of biochar on soil microbial biomass after four years of consecutive application in the north China plain. PLoS One. 9(7),102062. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102062 (2014).
Weng, Z. et al. Biochar built carbon over a decade by stabilizing rhizodeposits. Nat. Clim. Change. 7, 371–376. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3276 (2017).
Maucieri, C. et al. Short-term effects of biochar and salinity on soil greenhouse gas emissions from a semi-arid Australian soil after re-wetting. Geoderma. 307,267–276. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. geode rma. 2017. 07. 028 (2017).
Xiao, Y. et al. Effects of biochar, N fertilizer, and crop residues on greenhouse gas emissions from acidic soils. CLEAN–Soil, Air, Water. 46(7), 1700346. https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.201700346 (2018).
Karhu, K., Mattila, T., Bergström, I. & Regina, K. Biochar addition to agricultural soil increased CH4 uptake and water holding capacity–Results from a short-term pilot field study. Agr. Ecosyst. Environ. 140(1-2), 309-313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2010.12.005 (2011).
Zhao, Y. et al. Advances in the effects of biochar on microbial ecological function in soil and crop quality. Sustainability. 14(16), 10411. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610411 (2022).
Ahmad, M. et al. Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review. Chemosphere, 99,19–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.10.071 (2014).
Palansooriya, K. N., et al. Response of microbial communities to biochar-amended soils: a critical review. Biochar. 1, 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-019-00009-2 (2019).
Adhikari, S., Timms, W. & Mahmud, M. P. Optimising water holding capacity and hydrophobicity of biochar for soil amendment–A review. Sci. Total Environ. 851, 158043. https://hub.uu2025.xyz/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158043 (2022).
Muhammad, N. et al. Changes in microbial community structure due to biochars generated from different feedstocks and their relationships with soil chemical properties. Geoderma. 226,270-278.(2014).
Tan, Z., Lin, C. S. K., Ji, X. & Rainey , T. J. Returning biochar to fields: A review. Appl. Soil Ecol. 116, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.03.017 (2017).
Amoakwah, E., Frimpong, K. A., Okae-Anti, D. & Arthur, E. Soil water retention, air flow and pore structure characteristics after corn cob biochar application to a tropical sandy loam. Geoderma. 307, 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.08.025 (2017).
Verheijen, F. G. et al. The influence of biochar particle size and concentration on bulk density and maximum water holding capacity of sandy vs sandy loam soil in a column experiment. Geoderma. 347, 194-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.03.044 (2019).
Yan, Q. et al. Effects of maize straw‐derived biochar application on soil temperature, water conditions and growth of winter wheat. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 70(6), 1280-1289. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12863 (2019).
Rogovska, N., Laird, D. A. & Karlen, D. L. Corn and soil response to biochar application and stover harvest. Field Crop. Res. 187, 96–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2015.12.013 (2016).
Niu, Y. et al. Yield-scaled N₂O emissions were effectively reduced by biochar amendment of sandy loam soil under maize—Wheat rotation in the North China Plain. Atmos. Environ. 170, 58–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.09.050 (2017).
Kang, S. W. et al. Effect of biochar derived from barley straw on soil physicochemical properties, crop growth, and nitrous oxide emission in an upland field in South Korea. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 25, 25813–25821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1888-3 (2018).
Zhang, D. et al. Biochar helps enhance maize productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions under balanced fertilization in a rainfed low fertility inceptisol. Chemosphere. 142, 106–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.04.088 (2016).
Azeem, M. et al. Biochar improves soil quality and N2-fixation and reduces net ecosystem CO2 exchange in a dryland legume-cereal cropping system. Soil Tillage Res. 186, 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.10.007 (2019).
Sandhu, S. S. et al. Analyzing the impacts of three types of biochar on soil carbon fractions and physiochemical properties in a corn-soybean rotation. Chemosphere. 184, 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.165 (2017).
Agegnehu, G. Bass, A. M. Nelson, P .N. & Bird, M. I. Benefits of biochar, compost and biochar-compost for soil quality, maize yield and greenhouse gas emissions in a tropical agricultural soil. Sci. Total. Environ. 543, 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.054 (2016).
Shen, J. et al. Contrasting effects of straw of straw and straw-derived biochar amendments on greenhouse gas emissions within double rice cropping systems. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 188, 264–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2014.03.002 (2014).
Major, J. et al. Maize yield and nutrition during 4 years after biochar application to a Colombian savanna oxisol. Plant Soil. 333, 117–128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0327-0 (2010).
Carter, S. et al. The impact of biochar application on soil properties and plant growth of pot grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and cabbage (Brassica chinensis). Agronomy. 3, 404–418. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy3020404 (2013).
Kelly , C.N. et al. Switchgrass biochar effects on plant biomass and microbial dynamics in two soils from different regions. Pedosphere. 25, 329–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(15)30001-1 (2015).
Wu, D. et al. Effect of biochar origin and soil pH on greenhouse gas emissions from sandy and clay soils. Appl Soil Ecol. 129,121–127. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. apsoil. 2018. 05. 009 (2018).
Peng, X. et al. Temperature- and duration-dependent rice straw-derived biochar: Characteristics and its effects on soil properties of an Ultisol in southern China. Soil Tillage Res. 112, 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2011.01.002 (2011).
Martinsen, V. et al. pH effects of the addition of three biochars to acidic Indonesian mineral soils. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 61, 821–834. https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2015.1052985 (2015).
Ngo, P. T. et al. Mixing of biochar with organic amendments reduces carbon removal after field exposure under tropical conditions. Ecol. Eng. 91, 378−380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.01.011 (2016).
Fahad, S. et al. A combined application of biochar and phosphorus alleviates heat-induced adversities on physiological, agronomical and quality attributes of rice. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 103, 191−198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.03.001 (2016).
Luo, X. et al. Biochar addition reduced net N mineralization of a coastal wetland soil in the Yellow River Delta, China. Geoderma. 282, 120−128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.07.015 (2016).
Bhattacharyya, S. S. & Furtak, K. Soil–Plant–Microbe interactions determine soil biological fertility by altering rhizospheric nutrient cycling and biocrust formation. Sustainability. 15(1), 625. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010625 (2022).
Bamminger, C., Marschner, B. & Jüschke, E. An incubation study on the stability and biological effects of pyrogenic and hydrothermal biochar in two soils. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 65(1), 72-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12074 (2014).
Khadem, A. & Raiesi, F. Responses of microbial performance and community to corn biochar in calcareous sandy and clayey soils. Appl. Soil Ecol. 114, 16–27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.02.018 (2017).
Zhang, A. et al. Effect of biochar amendment on yield and methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a rice paddy from Tai Lake plain, China. Agric Ecosys Environ. 139, 469–475. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. agee. 2010. 09. 003 (2010).

No competing interests reported.

Download PDF

Reviewers agreed at journal
09 Nov, 2024
Reviews received at journal
07 Nov, 2024
Reviewers agreed at journal
23 Oct, 2024
Reviewers invited by journal
21 Oct, 2024
Editor assigned by journal
21 Oct, 2024
Editor invited by journal
20 Oct, 2024
Submission checks completed at journal
18 Oct, 2024
First submitted to journal
04 Oct, 2024

You are reading this latest preprint version

Response of soil carbon dioxide emission, soil organic carbon andmicrobial community to biochar addition with nitrogen optimizing

Status:

Version 1

Abstract

Figures

Introduction

Material and methods

2.1 Experimental site

2.2 Experimental design

2.3 Soil Sampling

2.4 Isolation and enumeration of fungi and bacteria

2.5 Analysis of soil functional diversity

2.6 Determination of soil carbon dioxide emission

2.7 Calculations

2.8 Statistical analysis

Results

3.1 Soil respiration and soil organic carbon

3.2 Soil microbial community composition

3.3 Soil properties

Discussion

Conclusions

Declarations

References

Additional Declarations

Status:

Version 1