不同空间范围土壤色度的纬向变化特征及其气候意义

对不同气候条件下发育的土壤/古土壤进行色度分析,探讨其色度参数的空间变化规律及其作为气候变化代用指标的可靠性。结果表明:(1)较小的空间尺度上,土壤色度参数变化复杂,与气候相关关系不显著。土壤色度参数在大空间尺度中均表现出一定的纬向变化,红度(a*)随纬度的增加而降低,黄度(b*)与纬度的拟合曲线趋近于开口向上的抛物线,黄度与红度的比值(b*/a*)随着纬度的增加近似呈线性增加。(2)土壤剖面色度参数均与气候因子(年均降水和年均温)具有一定的相关关系,b*/a*与年均温相关系数最大。色度参数a*与年均降水相关系数稍高于b*/a*,但a*易受其他因素影响;而土壤色度参数b*/a*对土壤颜色的空间变化敏感,是指示气候变化的适用指标。     

Humus and nitrogen in soddy-podzolic soils of different agricultural lands in Perm region

Heavy loamy soddy-podzolic soils (Eutric Albic Retisols (Abruptic, Loamic, Cutanic)) under a mixed forest, a grass–herb meadow, a perennial legume crop (fodder galega, Galéga orientalis), and an eightcourse crop rotation (treatment without fertilization) have been characterized by the main fertility parameters. Differences have been revealed in the contents of humus and essential nutrients in the 0- to 20- and 20- to 40-cm layers of soils of the studied agricultural lands. The medium acid reaction and the high content of ash elements and nitrogen in stubble–root residues of legume grasses favor the accumulation of humic acids in the humus of soil under fodder galega; the C_HA/C_FA ratio is 0.95 in the 0- to 20-cm layer and 0.81 in the 20- to 40-cm layer (under forest, 0.61 and 0.41, respectively). The nitrogen pool in the upper horizon of the studied soddy-podzolic soil includes 61–76% nonhydrolyzable nitrogen and 17–25% difficultly hydrolyzable nitrogen. The content of easily hydrolyzable nitrogen varies depending on the type of agricultural land from 6% in the soil under mixed forest to 10% under crop rotation; the content of mineral nitrogen varies from 0.9 to 1.9%, respectively. The long-term use of plowland in crop rotation and the cultivation of perennial legume crop have increased the content of hydrolyzable nitrogen forms but have not changed the proportions of nitrogen fractions characteristic of this soil type.     

The influence of different land management practices on the transformation of humic acids in heavy loamy soddy-podzolic soils of the Cis-Urals region

The elemental composition and structure of humic acids were studied in heavy loamy soddy-podzolic soils of the Cis-Urals region under different land management practices. The humic acids in the soil of the long-term clean fallow, overgrown fallow (abandoned plot), and crop rotation plots differed in their composition and properties. The humic acids in the soils of the crop rotation with the regular application of manure and of the overgrown fallow were enriched in the components of both their central (nuclear) and peripheral parts. Such a structure ensured the active participation of humic acids in the carbon cycle with the simultaneous preservation of the soil’s fertility.     

陇东地区几种旱作作物产量对降水与气温变化的响应

研究作物产量对气候变化的响应,对于指导区域农业生产,保障粮食安全和生态安全具有一定的理论指导意义。结合大田试验与农业生产系统模拟模型(Agricultural Production Systems Simulator,APSIM),在验证模拟研究区冬小麦、玉米和紫花苜蓿产量可靠性的基础上,分析5个降水变化梯度(降水量不变、降低10%和20%、升高10%和20%)和5个气温变化梯度(不变、降低1.5和1℃、升高1.5和1℃)组合情景下3种作物的产量变化趋势。结果表明:APSIM模型在试验点对3种作物籽粒产量和生物量的模拟精度较高,决定系数R2在0.80~0.93之间,归一化均方根误差在11.35%~22.48%之间,模型有效系数在0.53~0.91之间。冬小麦、玉米和紫花苜蓿在气温升高、降水量减少的情景下减产,减产的最大幅度分别为38.7%、40.3%和41.8%;冬小麦、紫花苜蓿的在气温降低、降水量增加时增产,增产的最大幅度分别为29.8%和51.7%;玉米在降水量增加、温度不变的情景下增产幅度最大,为22.0%。总之,在研究范围内,3种作物的产量随降水的增加而增高;玉米的产量随气温升高先增高后降低,另2种作物的产量随气温的升高而降低;紫花苜蓿适应气候变化的能力最强。结果对明确黄土高原地区主要作物的生产走势,制订农业布局、管理措施等具有一定意义。     

Biochar application to soil for climate change mitigation by soil organic carbon sequestration

Pyrogenic carbon (C) is produced by incomplete combustion of fuels including organic matter (OM). Certain ranges in the combustion continuum are termed ‘black carbon' (BC). Because of its assumed persistence, surface soils in large parts of the world contain BC with up to 80% of surface soil organic C (SOC) stocks and up to 32% of subsoil SOC in agricultural soils consisting of BC. High SOC stocks and high levels of soil fertility in some ancient soils containing charcoal (e.g., terra preta de Índio) have recently been used as strategies for soil applications of biochar, an engineered BC material similar to charcoal but with the purposeful use as a soil conditioner (1) to mitigate increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) by SOC sequestration and (2) to enhance soil fertility. However, effects of biochar on soils and crop productivity cannot be generalized as they are biochar‐, plant‐ and site‐specific. For example, the largest potential increases in crop yields were reported in areas with highly weathered soils, such as those characterizing much of the humid tropics. Soils of high inherent fertility, characterizing much of the world's important agricultural areas, appear to be less likely to benefit from biochar. It has been hypothesized that both liming and aggregating/moistening effects of biochar improved crop productivity. Meta‐analyses of biochar effects on SOC sequestration have not yet been reported. To effectively mitigate climate change by SOC sequestration, a net removal of C and storage in soil relative to atmospheric CO₂ must occur and persist for several hundred years to a few millennia. At deeper soil depths, SOC is characterized by long turnover times, enhanced stabilization, and less vulnerability to loss by decomposition and erosion. In fact, some studies have reported preferential long‐term accumulation of BC at deeper depths. Thus, it is hypothesized that surface applied biochar‐C (1) must be translocated to subsoil layers and (2) result in deepening of SOC distribution for a notable contribution to climate change mitigation. Detailed studies are needed to understand how surface‐applied biochar can move to deeper soil depths, and how its application affects organic C input to deeper soil depths. Based on this knowledge, biochar systems for climate change mitigation through SOC sequestration can be designed. It is critically important to identify mechanisms underlying the sometimes observed negative effects of biochar application on biomass, yield and SOC as biochar may persist in soils for long periods of time as well as the impacts on downstream environments and the net climate impact when biochar particles become airborne.     

Ammonia emissions from soddy-podzolic soils under different phytocenoses

The mean seasonal rates of the ammonia nitrogen emission from a soddy-podzolic soil under an oxalis-bilberry birch forest in Yaroslavl oblast were measured from May to October in 2005 and 2006 and comprised 27 ± 14 and 25 ± 11 μg N/m² per day, which corresponded to 44 ± 23 and 32 ± 15 g N/ha, respectively. The maximum rates of the emission had a positive correlation with the soil temperature (r = 0.77 and 0.82, respectively) and a negative correlation with the soil water content (r = 0.3 and 0.54). The coefficients of the multiple correlation between these parameters were 0.82 and 0.84, respectively (at p = 0.16). The mean seasonal rate of the ammonia nitrogen emission from a soddy-podzolic soil under an herbaceous meadow in 2006 reached 155 ± 80 μg N/m² per day, or 160 ± 80 g N/ha. The rates of the ammonia emission during the growing season correlated with the soil temperature (r = 0.81 at p = 0.03). A method for measuring the ammonia emission from soils was proposed.     

Soil cover in the southern forest-steppe of the Central Russian Upland against the background of centennial climate fluctuations

Special approaches and algorithms for studying the response of zonal soils and the soil cover of the forest-steppe zone to climate fluctuations were developed on the basis of data of repeated soil surveys. They made it possible to analyze the particular transformations of the soil cover as indicators of short-term climate fluctuations in the southern forest-steppe of the Central Russian Upland. Vector soil maps and related databases on soil polygons were developed using GIS technologies. Changes in the climatic conditions between two rounds of large-scale soil surveys in 1971 and 1991 reflecting the so-called Brückner cycles were identified. A characteristic feature of climate change during that period was the rise in the mean annual air temperature by 0.2°C and an increase in the mean annual precipitation by 83 mm. In response to this change, the area of leached chernozems (Luvic Chernozems) on the interfluves somewhat increased, whereas the area of typical chernozems (Haplic Chernozems) decreased.     

Landscape‐scale modelling of erosion processes and soil carbon dynamics under land‐use and climate change in agroecosystems

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and soil redistribution are linked to soil properties, land use, farming system and climate. In a global‐change context, landscape and climate changes are expected and will most probably have impacts on changes in the soil. Soil change was simulated from 2010 to 2100 in an 86‐ha hedgerow landscape under different scenarios of landscape and climate changes. These scenarios combined contrasting land uses, hedgerow networks and climates. Two models were combined to evaluate the impact of these scenarios on soils: LandSoil, a soil redistribution model, and a SOC model based on RothC‐26.3. A soil thickness of 105 cm was considered. The results indicate that the main factor influencing soil degradation was land‐use change: when compared with the baseline business‐as‐usual landscape, the landscape with the most intensive agricultural systems had the greatest soil erosion (+0.26 t ha^?1 year^?1) and reduced mean SOC stocks (?17 t ha^?1 after 90 years). The second significant factor was climate change, followed by hedgerow network density. Sensitivity to climate change differed between landscapes, and the most sensitive were those with continuous winter wheat. The results indicate that a hedgerow landscape is well adapted to protect soil (regarding carbon storage and soil erosion) in a context of climate change. However, this type of landscape is highly sensitive to cropping intensification and should be protected.     

Does history matter? Temperature effects on soil microbial biomass and community structure based on the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis

Background, aim, and scope

Temperature is an important environmental factor regulating soil microbial biomass, activity, and community. Soils from different climatic regions may have very different dominant soil microbes, which are acclimated to the local conditions like temperature. Changing soil temperature especially warming has been shown to increase the mortality rate of soil microbes. However, little is known about the responses of soil microbes coming from different climatic regions to different incubation temperatures. The objective of this study was to examine the temperature effects on microbial biomass and community of soils collected from cold, intermediate, and hot natural sites.

Materials and methods

Soils were collected from northern (Heilongjiang province), central (Jiangsu province), and southern (Guangxi province) China, these soils having very different temperature histories. The Heilongjiang soil was from the coldest region with a mean annual temperature of 1.2°C, the Jiangsu soil was intermediate with a mean annual temperature of 15.7°C, and Guangxi soil was from the hottest area, with a mean annual temperature of 21.2°C. These three soils were incubated at 4°C, 15°C, 25°C, and 35°C for up to 56 days. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses were conducted on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 to track the dynamics of soil microbes.

Results

Soil microbial biomass indexed by total phospholipid fatty acid concentration decreased with increasing incubation temperature, with that of the Heilongjiang soil decreasing most. At the end of incubation, the biomass at 35°C in the Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, and Guangxi soils had declined to 65%, 72%, and 96% of the initial biomass, respectively. The PLFA patterns shifted with increasing temperatures in all the soils, especially at 35°C; the change was biggest in the Heilongjiang soil.

Discussion

History does have effects on soil microbes responding to environmental stress. Soil microbial biomass and PLFA profiles shifted least in the Guangxi soil with the hottest temperature history and most in the Heilongjiang soil with the coldest temperature, indicating that the distribution of free-living microorganisms is influenced by climatic factors. The majority of soil microorganisms coming from the hot regions are more adapted to high temperature (35°C) compared to those from the cold area. There are some regular changes of PLFA profiles when increasing incubation temperature to 35°C. However, the effect of incubation temperature on soil microbial community structure was inconclusive. As PLFA profile community structure is the phenotypic community structure. Genotype experiments are required to be done in future studies for the better understanding of soil microbes in different climate regions with concerning temperature variation.

Conclusions

With the increasing incubation temperature, soil microbial biomass and PLFA profiles shifted most in the soil with the coldest temperature history and least in the soil with the hottest temperature. History does matter in determining soil microbial dynamics when facing thermal stress.     

Temperature regulation of soil carbon dioxide production in the Humid Pampa of Argentina: estimation of carbon fluxes under climate change

Our objectives were to quantify the effect of abiotic factors on CO₂ emissions in the Humid Pampa of Argentina and estimate the potential increase in CO₂ fluxes from this agricultural soil as a consequence of climate change. The experimental site was located at Pergamino (33°56'S, 60°34'W), on a fine, illitic, thermic Typic Argiudoll soil. In situ CO₂ production presented an exponential relationship with air temperature. C liberated annually by mineralization was estimated by integration of monthly respiration measurements and amounted to 8.4 t C ha^-1 year^-1. Future monthly CO₂ fluxes were calculated for the climate change scenario (doubled atmospheric C concentration) using mean monthly temperatures predicted for Pergamino. An increase of around 50% in CO₂ emission from agricultural soils in the Humid Pampa could be expected as a consequence of climate change. The effect of the climate change scenario projected by the global climate models for the Humid Pampa indicates a reduction of the biomass production of cereal crops. Consequently, the predicted decrease in C inputs to soil for this region and an important increase in soil C mineralization would result in marked future C losses.     

Response of rice to increasing nitrogen rates in five soils with different mineralizable nitrogen levels

Rice is one of the essential foods of the human diet and advances in agronomic crop management, such as nitrogen (N) rate management, can improve productivity and profitability and reduce adverse environmental impacts. Nitrogen fertilization rates in Chile are generally based on crop yield without considering the soil's capacity to supply it. Five rice soils of the Inceptisol, Alfisol, and Vertisol orders in central Chile were incubated at 20°C for 21 d in the 2011–2012 season, and their N mineralization capacity was determined before sowing the rice crop. These soils were cropped in field conditions with rice fertilized with 0, 80, and 160 kg N ha^?1; grain yield, harvest index, and grain sterility were determined. Mineralized N was associated with some chemical properties of each soil, and with the response to N rates in grain yield and grain sterility. Results indicated that the N rates to be used in rice must consider soil N mineralization capacity and crop yield potential. Finally, the best response to the N rates used in this study and the effect on both harvest index and grain sterility was achieved with 80 kg N ha^?1.     

Changes in the agrochemical properties of major arable soils in the south of the Far East of Russia under the impact of their long-term agricultural use

Agrochemical properties of meadow-brown (Gleyic Cambisols (Clayic, Aric)) and meadow-chernozemic (Luvic Gleyic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)) soils under the impact of long-term application of mineral and organic fertilizers were studied. The investigations were performed at the agrochemical experimental stations of the Primorskii region and Amur oblast founded in 1941 and 1962, respectively. It was shown that the long-term crop cultivation without fertilizers or with great rates of mineral fertilizers and lime resulted in the soil dehumification, a rise in the soil acidity, and a decrease of the content of exchangeable bases. These processes were slowed down by the application of organic fertilizers. Agrochemical parameters of meadow-chernozemic and floodplain meadow (Fluvic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Oxyaquic)) soils of Amur oblast (Russia) and the Heilongjiang border province (China) were compared.     

Yields nutrient intake and soil fertilizing in 40 years fertilizer trials

The set of twenty long‐term field nutrition trials starting from 1957 at five sites. The sites differed by their altitude (from 180 m to 620 m) with average daily temperatures (from 6,8°C m to 9°C m) and soil type (from chernozem to brown podsolic soil) Provided mainly the following results:

? The geonomic division to the fertile sugarbeet region and less fertile potato region did not strictly differentiate the influence of fertilizer and climatic effects to the crop yields.

? The effect of fertilizing was dependent on the nutrient content and on the conditions of releasing and binding of the nutrients in soil.

? The precipitation regime has a strong influence on the effect of the nitrogen escalated doses.

? The facts concerning the nutrient intake are very precious knowledge. These facts have not been examined yet during the long‐term trials.

? The site effect, particularly its climatic conditions, on the nutrient intake is often more obvious compared to the fertilizing effect.

? Very interesting impulses for further research monitoring during the long‐term trials was contributed by “mapping”; of soil capacity to provide nutrients to plants at various sites and under different climate.     

Transformation of humic substances in soddy-podzolic soils under agrogenic impacts

The transformation of humic substances in soddy-podzolic soils under agrogenic impacts of different intensities and durations was studied. Indices of the initial stages of degradation and regradation of soil humus were revealed, and the humus status of soils under different fertilizing conditions was estimated.     

The influence of input data quality in determining areas suitable for crop growth at the global scale – a comparative analysis of two soil and climate datasets

The assessment of biophysical crop suitability requires datasets on soil and climate. In this study, we investigated the differences in topsoil properties for the dominant soil mapping units between two global soil datasets. We compared the ISRIC World Soil Information Center’s World Inventory of Soil Emissions Potential 5 by 5 arc min Soil Map of the World (ISRIC‐WISE 5by5 SMW ) with the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) in 0.5 arc min. We also incorporated annual mean temperature and mean precipitation from two global climate datasets that were the WorldClim measurement‐based climate dataset and the Kiel Climate Model (KCM) modelled results of global climate from 1960 to 1990. We then applied a fuzzy logic approach using different combinations and resolutions of the datasets to determine the effects on the extent and distribution of suitable areas for 15 crops. We only used the spatially dominant soil class in the mapping units in the soil databases (resampled to the same resolution of 5 arc min), and we found that the estimates of topsoil properties (0–20 cm in ISRIC‐WISE and 0–30 cm in HWSD) of the seven analysed parameters were up to 40% lower in most of the HWSD than in the ISRIC‐WISE 5by5 SMW. Results from the KCM are 0.1 °C (1%) lower in mean global annual temperature and 20% higher in average global annual precipitation compared with the WorldClim data. The HWSD‐based runs resulted in 10% less crop‐suitable land than the ISRIC‐WISE 5by5 SMW‐based results. The KCM simulations predicted 1% less crop‐suitable land than the WorldClim model. Despite generalizations, our results demonstrate that discrepancies in crop suitable areas are largely due to the differences in the soil databases rather than to climate.     

Determination of the soil microbial biomass carbon using the method of substrate-induced respiration

Specific features of determining the carbon content in the soil microbial biomass using the method of substrate-induced respiration (MB_SIR) were studied as related to the conditions of the incubation (the glucose concentration and temperature) and pre-incubation (the duration and temperature) of the soil samples collected in the summer (tundra gley and soddy-podzolic soils and chernozems) and in different seasons (for the gray forest soil). The glucose concentration providing the highest substrate-induced respiration (SIR) in the soils studied was shown to be 2–15 mg/g. The MB_SIR in the soil samples collected in summer and in the soils pre-incubated for 10 and 22°C (7 days) did not significantly differ. The MB_SIR in the gray forest soil pre-incubated at 3, 6, and 10°C (winter, spring/autumn, and summer, respectively) and at 22°C (recommended by the authors of the SIR method) was similar for the cropland in all the seasons. For the meadow, it was the same in the winter, summer, and autumn, and, in summer, it did not differ only for the forest. For the comparative assessment of the MB_SIR, soil samples from different ecosystems are recommended to be collected in the autumn or in the summer. Soil samples of 100–500 g should be pre-incubated for 7 days at 22°C and moisture of 60% of the total water capacity; then, 1-2 g soil should be incubated with glucose (10 mg/g) at 22°C for 3–5 hours.     

Sensitivity of crop yield and N losses in winter wheat to changes in mean and variability of temperature and precipitation in Denmark using the FASSET model

Abstract

Sensitivity of wheat yield and soil nitrogen (N) losses to stepwise changes in means and variances of climatic variables were determined using the FASSET model. The LARS-WG was used to generate climate scenarios using observed climate data (1961–90) from two sites in Denmark, which differed in climate and soil conditions. Scenarios involved changes to (i) mean temperature alone, (ii) mean and variability of temperature, (iii) winter and summer precipitation amounts and (iv) duration of dry and wet series.

The model predicted lower grain yield and N uptake in response to increases in mean temperatures, caused by early maturity, with little change in variability. This, however, increased soil mineral N causing increased N losses. On sandy loam, larger temperature variability lowered grain yields and increased N losses coupled with higher variability at all the mean temperature ranges. On coarse sand, grain yields either remained unaltered or were slightly reduced when larger temperature variability was introduced to increase in mean temperatures of up to +2°C above baseline. However, introducing variability to further increase in mean temperatures lowered yields without any change in variability. Larger temperature variability did not affect soil mineral N and N₂O emissions, but increased N leaching on coarse sand.

Large response in grain yield, N uptake and soil N cycling, and in their variability was predicted when summer precipitation was varied, whereas only N leaching responded to changes in winter precipitation. Doubling the duration of dry series lowered grain yield and N removed by grain, but increased N leaching, whereas doubling the duration of wet series showed opposite effect. Predicted responses to changes in precipitation patterns were larger on coarse sand than on sandy loam. This study illustrates the importance of considering effects of changes to mean climatic factors, climatic variability and soil types on both crop yield and soil N losses.     

Contrasting grain crop and grassland management effects on soil quality properties for a north-central Missouri claypan soil landscape

Abstract

Crop management has the potential to either enhance or degrade soil quality, which in turn impacts on crop production and the environment. Few studies have investigated how crop management affects soil quality over different landscape positions. The objective of the present study was to investigate how 12 years of annual cropping system (ACS) and conservation reserve program (CRP) practices impacted soil quality indicators at summit, backslope and footslope landscape positions of a claypan soil in north-central Missouri. Claypan soils are particularly poorly drained because of a restrictive high-clay subsoil layer and are vulnerable to high water erosion. Three replicates of four management systems were established in 1991 in a randomized complete block design, with landscape position as a split-block treatment. The management systems were investigated: (1) annual cropping system 1 (ACS1) was a mulch tillage (typically ≥ 30% of soil covered with residue after tillage operations) corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation system, (2) annual cropping system 2 (ACS2) was a no-till corn–soybean rotation system, (3) annual cropping system 3 (ACS3) was a no-till corn–soybean–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation system, with a cover crop following wheat, (4) CRP was a continuous cool-season grass and legume system. In 2002, soil cores (at depths of 0–7.5, 7.5–15 and 15–30 cm) were collected by landscape position and analyzed for physical, chemical and biological soil quality properties. No interactions were observed between landscape and crop management. Relative to management effects, soil organic carbon (SOC) significantly increased with 12 years of CRP management, but not with the other management systems. At the 0–7.5-cm soil depth in the CRP system, SOC increased over this period by 33% and soil total nitrogen storage increased by 34%. Soil aggregate stability was approximately 40% higher in the no-till management systems (ACS2 and ACS3) than in the tilled system (ACS1). Soil aggregation under CRP management was more than double that of the three grain-cropping systems. Soil bulk density at the shallow sampling depth was greater in ACS3 than in ACS1 and ACS2. In contrast to studies on other soil types, these results indicate only minor changes to claypan soil quality after 12 years of no-till management. The landscape had minor effects on the soil properties. Of note, SOC was significantly lower in the 7.5–15-cm soil depth at the footslope compared with the other landscape positions. We attribute this to wetter and more humid conditions at this position and extended periods of high microbial activity and SOC mineralization. We conclude that claypan soils degraded by historical cropping practices will benefit most from the adoption of CRP or CRP-like management.     

Biochar-induced changes in soil properties affected immobilization/mobilization of metals/metalloids in contaminated soils

Purpose

Remediation of metal contaminated soil with biochar is attracting extensive interest in recent years. Understanding the significance of variable biochar properties and soil types helps elucidating the meticulous roles of biochar in immobilizing/mobilizing metals/metalloids in contaminated soils.

Materials and methods

Six biochars were produced from widely available agricultural wastes (i.e., soybean stover, peanut shells and pine needles) at two pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 700 °C, respectively. The Pb-, Cu-, and Sb-contaminated shooting range soils and Pb-, Zn-, and As-contaminated agricultural soils were amended with the produced biochars. The mobility of metals/metalloids was assessed by the standard batch leaching test, principal component analysis and speciation modeling.

Results and discussion

The changes in soil properties were correlated to feedstock types and pyrolysis temperatures of biochars based on the principal component analysis. Biochars produced at 300 °C were more efficient in decreasing Pb and Cu mobility (>93 %) in alkaline shooting range soil via surface complexation with carboxyl groups and Fe-/Al-minerals of biochars as well as metal-phosphates precipitation. By contrast, biochars produced at 700 °C outperformed their counterparts in decreasing Pb and Zn mobility (100 %) in acidic agricultural soil by metal-hydroxides precipitation due to biochar-induced pH increase. However, Sb and As mobility in both soils was unfavorably increased by biochar amendment, possibly due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsion and competition with phosphate.

Conclusions

It is noteworthy that the application of biochars is not equally effective in immobilizing metals or mobilizing metalloids in different soils. We should apply biochar to multi-metal contaminated soil with great caution and tailor biochar production for achieving desired outcome and avoiding adverse impact on soil ecosystem.