Sorption-desorption behaviors of heavy metals by biochar-compost amendment with different ratios in contaminated wetland soil

Purpose

Heavy metal pollution in soils has become a global environmental concern. The combination of biochar and compost has already been proved to be an attractive method in contaminated soil. The objective was to study the sorption-desorption characteristics of Cd, Cu, and Zn onto soil amended with combined biochar-compost.

Materials and methods

In this study, the soil was amended with combinations of biochar and compost with different ratios at 10% (w/w). To determine the sorption-desorption behaviors of heavy metals by biochar-compost amendment with different ratios, we determine the effects of different ratios on soil properties and use batch experiments to investigate sorption-desorption behaviors of Cd, Cu, and Zn.

Results and discussion

The results show that the Langmuir and Freundlich model can well describe the adsorption isotherm of Cd, Cu, and Zn in the soils with or without biochar-compost combinations. The incorporation of amendment combinations into soil significantly promotes the sorption affinity of soil on metals. The sorption capacity of Cd and Zn was improved as the compost percentage rose in biochar-compost more likely due to the increase of organic matter and available phosphorus, while that of Cu was stronger with 10 and 20% biochar addition in biochar-compost combinations likely as the result of the formation of new specific adsorption sites and the mobile Cu adsorption in compost after adding a certain amount of biochar in amendment mixtures. Additionally, a certain proportion of biochar applied into amendment mixtures could suppress desorption of Cd and Cu by pH change, and the Zn desorption rate gradually decreased as the compost ratio increased in amendment mixtures.

Conclusions

The results indicated that the various ratios between biochar and compost have a significant effect on sorption-desorption of metals in soil, which helps us consider the effective combination of biochar and compost in soil.

     

Effect of coffee husk and cocoa pods biochar on phosphorus fixation and release processes in acid soils from West Cameroon

Acid soil in West Cameroon has limited phosphorus (P) availability which limits plant growth. This is mainly because of low pH, high levels of exchangeable aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe) and fixation of P. In this study, acid soils, sampled in Bafang, were amended with biochar produced from coffee husks (CH) and cocoa pod husks (CP) at two different temperatures (350 and 550 °C) in other to evaluate the effect on the physicochemical properties of the acid soil and the effect on P sorption and desorption. The soil was amended with biochar at a rate of 0, 20, 40 and 80 g/kg and incubated for 7 and 60 days. Physicochemical properties of all soil–biochar samples were determined followed by sorption experiments and data fitted in the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models in other to evaluate soil P sorption capacity and its affinity to soil amended with biochar. Moreover, desorption studies were done to evaluate the availability of P in soil amended with biochar after sorption. The outcomes of this study reveal an increase in soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), available P, soil organic carbon and a drastic decrease in exchangeable Al and Fe. The point of zero charge of biochar-amended soil was higher than the control and increased with amendment rate. The experimental data of the sorption of P on soils and soil–biochar samples fits into Langmuir and Freundlich models (R² > 0.9) suggesting that the P adsorption is controlled by both model mechanisms. Soil–biochar mixture results in a decrease in the sorption capacity as compared with the control and the decrease was predominant with increasing amendment rate. At amendment rates of 20, 40 and 80 g/kg after 7 days of incubation, $Q_{\max }$ for SCH350 were 2267, 2048 and 1823 mg/kg which increased to 2407, 2112 and 1990 mg/kg after 60 days of incubation. This tendency was observed for all biochar inputs with respect to the increase in incubation days. Furthermore, desorption of P from soil–biochar mixtures was enhanced with biochar added at greater rate and produced at higher temperature. The desorption percentage was increased by more than around 10% for all biochar types from 20 mg/kg to 80 mg/kg amendment. Thus, biochar addition to acid soils reduces P fixation to acid soil and improves P desorption to soil solution, thereby providing more available P in the soil solution and better conditions for plant growth.     

Sorption of triazine and organophosphorus pesticides on soil and biochar

Sorption and degradation are the primary processes controlling the efficacy and runoff contamination risk of agrochemicals. Considering the longevity of biochar in agroecosystems, biochar soil amendment must be carefully evaluated on the basis of the target agrochemical and soil types to achieve agricultural (minimum impact on efficacy) and environmental (minimum runoff contamination) benefits. In this study, sorption-desorption isotherms and kinetics of triazine (deisopropylatrazine) and organophosphorus (malathion, parathion, and diazinon) pesticides were first investigated on various soil types ranging from clayey, acidic Puerto Rican forest soil (PR) to heavy metal contaminated small arms range (SAR) soils of sandy and peaty nature. On PR, malathion sorption did not reach equilibrium during the 3 week study. Comparison of solution-phase molar phosphorus and agrochemical concentrations suggested that degradation products of organophosphorus pesticides were bound on soil surfaces. The degree of sorption on different soils showed the following increasing trend: deisopropylatrazine < malathion < diazinon < parathion. While sorption of deisopropylatrazine on SAR soils was not affected by diazinon or malathion, deisopropylatrazine suppressed the sorption of diazinon and malathion. Deisopropylatrazine irreversibly sorbed on biochars, and greater sorption was observed with higher Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of biochar (4.7-2061 mg g(-1)). The results suggested the utility of biochar for remediation of sites where concentrations of highly stable and mobile agrochemicals exceed the water-quality benchmarks.     

Characterization of biochar and their influence on microbial activities and potassium availability in an acid soil

Application of biochar to soil has increased considerably during recent years because of its effectiveness as a soil amendment causing beneficial effects on soil health. However, the effects have been reported to vary and depend upon types of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions during biochar production. Therefore, characterization of biochar is extremely important for its efficient utilization as a soil amendment. In the present study, biochar was prepared from agro-industrial by-products (rice husk and sugarcane bagasse) and weeds (Parthenium and Lantana) under similar pyrolysis conditions. Lantana biochar (LBC) showed the highest pH (10.4) while the lowest value (8.5) being recorded in rice husk biochar (RHBC). The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis indicated that LBC and Parthenium biochar (PBC) were superior with respect to potassium (K) content than sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBBC) and RHBC. The Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) study exhibited the existence of different functional groups in biochar. All the biochar treated soils showed significantly higher microbial activities with different degrees. Application of LBC and PBC at 4.50 g kg^?1 soil significantly increased K availability in soil. Lantana biochar and PBC amended the soil at 9 g kg^?1 significantly increased the soil pH thus makes these biochar as potential liming materials.     

Carbon mineralization in subtropical alluvial arable soils amended with sugarcane bagasse and rice husk biochars

Subtropical recent alluvial soils are low in organic carbon (C). Thus, increasing organic C is a major challenge to sustain soil fertility. Biochar amendment could be an option as biochar is a C-rich pyrolyzed material, which is slowly decomposed in soil. We investigated C mineralization (CO₂-C evolution) in two types of soils (recent and old alluvial soils) amended with two feedstocks (sugarcane bagasse and rice husk) (1%, weight/weight), as well as their biochars and aged biochars under a controlled environment (25 ±2 ℃) over 85 d. For the recent alluvial soil (charland soil), the highest absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution was observed in the sugarcane bagasse treatment (1 140 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) followed by the rice husk treatment (1 090 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil); the lowest amount (150 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was observed in the aged rice husk biochar treatment. Similarly, for the old alluvial soil (farmland soil), the highest absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution (1 290 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was observed in the sugarcane bagasse treatment and then in the rice husk treatment (1 270 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil); the lowest amount (200 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was in the aged rice husk biochar treatment. Aged sugarcane bagasse and rice husk biochar treatments reduced absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution by 10% and 36%, respectively, compared with unamended recent alluvial soil, and by 10% and 18%, respectively, compared with unamended old alluvial soil. Both absolute and normalized C mineralization were similar between the sugarcane bagasse and rice husk treatments, between the biochar treatments, and between the aged biochar treatments. In both soils, the feedstock treatments resulted in the highest cumulative CO₂-C evolution, followed by the biochar treatments and then the aged biochar treatments. The absolute and normalized CO₂-C evolution and the mineralization rate constant of the stable C pool (K_s) were lower in the recent alluvial soil compared with those in the old alluvial soil. The biochars and aged biochars had a negative priming effect in both soils, but the effect was more prominent in the recent alluvial soil. These results would have good implications for improving organic matter content in organic C-poor alluvial soils.     

Effect of Biochar Amendment and Ageing on Adsorption and Degradation of Two Herbicides

Biochar amendment can alter soil properties, for instance, the ability to adsorb and degrade different chemicals. However, ageing of the biochar, due to processes occurring in the soil over time, can influence such biochar-mediated effects. This study examined how biochar affected adsorption and degradation of two herbicides, glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine) and diuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) in soil and how these effects were modulated by ageing of the biochar. One sandy and one clayey soil that had been freshly amended with a wood-based biochar (0, 1, 10, 20 and 30% w/w) were studied. An ageing experiment, in which the soil-biochar mixtures were aged for 3.5 months in the laboratory, was also performed. Adsorption and degradation were studied in these soil and soil-biochar mixtures, and compared to results from a soil historically enriched with charcoal. Biochar amendment increased the pH in both soils and increased the water-holding capacity of the sandy soil. Adsorption of diuron was enhanced by biochar amendment in both soils, while glyphosate adsorption was decreased in the sandy soil. Ageing of soil-biochar mixtures decreased adsorption of both herbicides in comparison with freshly biochar-amended soil. Herbicide degradation rates were not consistently affected by biochar amendment or ageing in any of the soils. However, glyphosate half-lives correlated with the Freundlich Kf values in the clayey soil, indicating that degradation was limited by availability there.     

Concentration Changes of Cd, Ni and Zn in Sugarcane Cultivated Soils

In the southwest of Iran over 130,000 ha of land are under sugarcane (Saccarum officinarum). In these sugarcane fields, about 400 kg ha^?1 diamonium phosphate (DAP) and 400 kg ha^?1 urea are applied annually. Four sugarcane growing sites were selected for this study: Haft-tapeh, Karoon, Shoeibieh and Ghazali with cultivation histories of 36, 20, 2 and 1 years, respectively. For each area, soil samples (0–30 cm) were taken from a transect of uncultivated, and both furrows and ridges of cultivated land. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, clay, and calcium carbonate and organic carbon (OC) contents, Cl, Cd, Ni and Zn of 101 soil samples were measured. Cadmium profile distribution to a soil depth of 300 cm was determined, and the heavy metal concentrations in sugarcane and the associated soil samples of the three sugarcane sites were measured. The Cd and Ni contents among the sugarcane sites differed where Cd was related to clay content and Ni was related to OC content of soils. Cadmium content in sugarcane cultivated soil was lower compared to uncultivated soil even after years of application of P fertilizers. Nickel and Cd contents of sugarcane were much higher than levels in top soils but there was no significant relationship between Cd or Ni contents of sugarcane and soil chemical properties. The Zn content of soils decreased as either EC or Cl concentration of soils increased. There were no significant differences in Zn contents between different sugarcane sites and also between cultivated and uncultivated soils. Results also indicated that Cd was accumulated in bagasse and Ni was primarily accumulated in bagasse and molasses, but these heavy metals of white sugar were lower than the detectable values.     

Sewage sludge treated with bentonite,vermiculite or biochar can improve soil properties and enhance growth of grasses

Sewage sludge treated with 15% bentonite, vermiculite or biochar was evaluated as a soil amendment in comparison to limed and untreated sludge. Seven treatments were established to two soils, an acid and an alkaline, in three replications, i.e. 2% addition of sludge treated with bentonite, vermiculite, biochar and lime and application of 2% untreated sludge, inorganic fertilization and no sludge or inorganic fertilizers (control). Then, the soil treatments were used in a pot experiment with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as a test plant. Sludge treated with the clay minerals or biochar improved pH of the acid soil and significantly increased organic matter and available nutrients of both soils compared to control. Although no salinity or sodicity hazard was evidenced, the initial salinity of acid and alkaline soil increased by four-eight and two-three times, respectively, upon addition of all sludge treatments, especially that of untreated sludge. Moreover, soil available zinc (Zn) increased by four-eight times. Soil application of sludge treated with the clay minerals or biochar increased the total aboveground biomass yield of ryegrass in the acid and alkaline soil by 133%–171% and 72%–88%, respectively, compared to control and enhanced nutrient uptake by plants. Furthermore the microbial metabolic quotient indicated lack of low pH and heavy metal stress with addition of sludge to the acid soil. After three harvests of ryegrass, the residual effect of sludge on pH of acid soil and salinity, available phosphorus (P), Zn and boron (B) of both soils still persisted. Thus sewage sludge treated with 15% bentonite, vermiculite or biochar could be applied to soils at a rate of 2% (≈80 Mg ha⁻¹) to serve as soil amendment and fertilizer for grasses and pasture species; however, caution is needed regarding possible P build-up, Zn phytotoxicity and salinization risks.     

Microbial activity and metabolic quotient of microbes in soils amended with biochar and contaminated with atrazine and paraquat

The study was conducted to determine how biochar as a soil amendment maintained the microbial community in pesticide contaminated soils. Alfisol (Adenta series – Typic Kandiustalf) and Vertisol (Akuse series – Typic Calciustert) were amended with biochar (0 t/ha biochar, 10 t/ha cocoa husk biochar (CHB), 10 t/ha rice husk biochar (RHB)) and pesticides (atrazine and paraquat at two rates each namely 0 kg/ha pesticide and 10 times the normal recommended rate of pesticide) were applied. The CHB-amended soils stimulated microbial activities such as ammonia and nitrate release more than the RHB-amended soils. Basal respiration was significantly higher in the atrazine polluted soils than in paraquat polluted soil. Significant interaction occurred between soil type and biochar and high microbial biomass carbon was recorded for vertisol amended with CHB. Metabolic quotient was lower in soils amended with biochar and polluted with atrazine than in the un-amended soil. The use of CHB in soil of high clay content (47.5%, i.e. the vertisol) was a more effective management tool in maintaining the microbial community in a pesticide-polluted environment than in soil of lower clay content (22.5%). Soils of high clay content amended with biochar can sustain the soil microbial community even in a disturbed environment.     

Effects of Hardwood Biochar on Soil Acidity,Nutrient Dynamics,and Sweet Corn Productivity

ABSTRACT

Interest is rising in amending agricultural soils with carbon-rich materials such as charcoal to improve soil fertility. The objectives of this field study were to evaluate sugar maple hardwood charcoal (biochar) as a soil amendment. The design of the experiment was split-plot with five replications, repeated over two growing seasons with sweet corn (Zea mays L.) production. Main plots were allocated to five application amounts of biochar including 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 Mg ha^?1, respectively). Sub-plots consisted of applications of 0 or 56 kg nitrogen ha^?1 as calcium ammonium nitrate. Soil pH increased from pH 5.8 to 6.7 with biochar additions. The percent base saturation was increased due to the retention of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Soil phosphate availability increased. Sweet corn yield in the biochar-amended plots was depressed except with the 2% application. The result of the study revealed that no more than 2% application of sugar maple hardwood biochar should be applied for sweet corn growth.     

不同产地油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度和土壤pH缓冲容量的影响

  目的  明确不同产地油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度的改良和土壤pH缓冲容量的提升效果。  方法  将不同添加量的油菜秸秆炭分别与两种酸性红壤混合,然后进行室内培养试验,测定培养实验前后土壤pH、pH缓冲容量、土壤交换性盐基离子和土壤交换性酸。  结果  添加油菜秸秆炭显著提高了土壤的pH、pH缓冲容量、交换性盐基离子含量,显著降低了土壤交换性酸含量。说明添加油菜秸秆炭不仅可以改良红壤酸度,还能提高红壤的抗酸化能力,因而可以减缓土壤的复酸化。生长在碱性土壤上的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度的改良效果和对土壤pH缓冲容量的提升效果均优于生长在酸性土壤上的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭,在5%添加水平下,前者使湖南红壤pH相比对照提高37.4%,后者使该土壤的pH提高22.4%;相应地,2种生物质炭分别使该土壤的pH缓冲容量分别提高41.4%和37.3%。2种油菜秸秆炭对红壤pH和pH缓冲容量的提升效果与其碱含量和表面官能团多少相一致。  结论  碱性土壤上生长的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤具有更好的改良效果。     

Ash and biochar amendment of coarse sandy soil for growing crops under drought conditions

Appropriate soil amendments may increase plant available water and crop yields on coarse sandy soils under drought conditions. In this study, we applied straw ash or straw biochar from gasification to a Danish coarse sandy subsoil to assess the effects on soil water retention, evapotranspiration and crop yields. Spring barley (2016, 2017) and winter wheat (2018) were grown over three years in columns containing 25cm of organic matter-rich topsoil, 80 cm of amended coarse sandy soil (1.5%, 3%, 6% wt. ash or 1% wt. biochar or control soil) and 45 cm of un-amended subsoil. Precipitation, evaporative demands and soil moisture were recorded across the growth seasons, with 2018 having severe drought conditions. This year evapotranspiration levels increased with increasing ash and biochar content (by 54% and 33% for the 6% ash- and 1% biochar-amended soils, respectively), and plant dry matter increased by 18% in both the 1% biochar- and 6% ash-treated soils compared to the untreated control. A linear relationship was established between in situ field capacity and ash dosage (R² = .96), showing an increase of 2.2% per percentage (wt.) of ash added, while the 1% biochar treatment increased the capacity by 3.5%, indicating a higher efficiency than for ash. However, we did not find significant positive effects on grain yields. The results show that ash and biochar have the potential to significantly increase soil water retention, evapotranspiration and total dry matter yield in drought conditions, but that this may not correspond to an increase in grain yield.     

生物炭引起的土体回弹变化：土壤质地和生物炭用量的影响

Biochars are,amongst other available amendment materials,considered as an attractive tool in agriculture for carbon sequestration and improvement of soil functions.The latter is widely discussed as a consequence of improved physical quality of the amended soil.However,the mechanisms for this improvement are still poorly understood.This study investigated the effect of woodchip biochar amendment on micro-structural development,micro-and macro-structural stability,and resilience of two differently textured soils,fine sand (FS) and sandy loam (SL).Test substrates were prepared by adding 50 or 100 g kg-1 biochar to FS or SL.Total porosity and plant available water were significantly increased in both soils.Moreover,compressive strength of the aggregates was significantly decreased when biochar amount was doubled.Mechanical resilience of the aggregates at both micro-and macro-scale was improved in the biochar-amended soils,impacting the cohesion and compressive behavior.A combination of these effects will result in an improved pore structure and aeration.Consequently,the physicochemical environment for plants and microbes is improved.Furthermore,the improved stability properties will result in better capacity of the biochar-amended soil to recover from the myriad of mechanical stresses imposed under arable systems,including vehicle traffic,to the weight of overburden soil.However,it was noted that doubling the amendment rate did not in any case offer any remarkable additional improvement in these properties,suggesting a further need to investigate the optimal amendment rate.     

Use of rice straw biochar simultaneously as the sustained release carrier of herbicides and soil amendment for their reduced leaching

The sustained release and reduced leaching of herbicides is expected for enhancing their efficacy and minimizing their pollution. For this purpose, the rice straw biochar made at a relatively low temperature (350 °C) (RS350) was used simultaneously as the carrier for incorporating herbicides besides as the soil amendment. In this way, the sustained release of herbicides acetochlor and 2,4-D was obtained in the release experiments, due to the high and reversible sorption by RS350 biochar. Besides, the RS350 biochar significantly reduced the leached amount of herbicides by 25.4%-40.7% for acetochlor, and by 30.2%-45.5% for 2,4-D, depending on the depth (50 or 100 mm) of biochar-amended soil horizon. The high retention of both herbicides in the biochar-amended topsoil makes it possible to extend their efficacy. The results suggest a potential way of using low temperature biochars to reduce the leaching of herbicides without impacting their efficacy.     

Ameliorating Effects of Fungus Chaff and Its Biochar on Soil Acidity

A biochar was generated from fungus chaff at 300 °C, and the ameliorating effects of fungus chaff and its biochar on an acidic Ultisol were compared using incubation experiments. Incorporation of fungus chaff and its biochar significantly increased soil pH and soil exchangeable base cations but decreased soil exchangeable acidity. The ameliorating effect was greater for the biochar than the fungus chaff, and thus the biochar was a better amendment for acidic soil than its feedstock of fungus chaff. The biochar ameliorated soil acidity mainly through the release of its contained alkaline substances, while fungus chaff increased pH of acidic soils through two mechanisms: release of alkaline substances and inhibition of soil nitrification. The incorporation of fungus chaff increased soil-available organic carbon and thus accelerated the microbial assimilation of inorganic nitrogen, while incorporation of fungus chaff biochar enhanced nitrification due to increased soil pH.     

Application of Biochar and Compost for Enhancement of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Grain Yield in Calcareous Sandy Soil

The application of compost to calcareous soils by farmers is a well-established practice and has been shown to improve yields. However, incorporation of biochar and mixture of biochar and compost into calcareous soils is a relatively novel concept for improving soil quality and yield since calcareous soils comprise a large scale of soils worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the co-application of biochar and compost on the soil properties, nutrient status and grain yield of rice in calcareous sandy soil. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The compost application rates were 1% and 3% (w/w; compost/soil) and the applied rates of biochars (rice straw biochar, RSB; sugarcane bagasse biochar, SBB) were 0.3% and 0.9% (w/w; biochar/soil). The results showed that soil pH decreased with increasing application rates of either compost or biochars. However, soil EC was enhanced through increasing the application rates of compost and biochars. The co-application of biochar and compost improved soil total N and available P concentrations. The soil available K increased with increasing the rate of incorporated biochars and compost. An increase of soil available K was more predominate with the application of RSB than SBB. The RSB, also, added a considerable amount of silicon (Si) to the soil. The co-incorporation of biochars and compost enhanced soil available concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn as well. The RSB was more effective than the SBB in grain yield enhancement almost certainly due to a higher Si content in RSB. Furthermore, the concurrent application of biochars and compost increased grain yield more than applying them individually. A higher application rate of biochar and compost induced a higher grain yield. The co-application of highest rates of RSB (0.9%) and compost (3%) induced the highest grain yield (26.1 g/pot) among the treatments. The increase in yield compare to the control were 321% and 260% for 0.9% RSB + 3% compost and 0.9% SBB + 3% compost, respectively. The increase in the grain yield was due to an improvement in the soil chemical properties and nutrients enhancement. Finally, the co-application of the highest rate of RSB (0.9%) and compost (3%) is recommended to obtain the appropriate rate of rice grain yield in calcareous sandy soil.     

Effects of rice husk biochar on selected soil properties and nitrate leaching in loamy sand and clay soil

Biochar is a product of pyrolysis of biomass in the absence of oxygen and has a high potential to sequester carbon into more stable soil organic carbon (OC). Despite the large number of studies on biochar and soil properties, few studies have investigated the effects of biochar in contrasting soils. The current research was conducted to evaluate the effects of different biochar levels (0 (as control), 1% and 3%) on several soil physiochemical properties and nitrate leaching in two soil types (loamy sand and clay) under greenhouse conditions and wet-dry cycles. The experiment was performed using a randomized design with three levels of biochar produced from rice husks at 500 °C in three replications. Cation exchange capacity increased significantly, by 20% and 30% in 1% and 3% biochar-amended loamy sand soil, respectively, and increases were 9% and 19% in 1% and 3% biochar-amended clay soil, respectively. Loamy sand soil did not show improvement in aggregate indices, including mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, water stable aggregates and fractal dimension, which was contrary to the results for the clay soil. Rice husk biochar application at the both rates decreased nitrate leaching in the clay soil more than in the loamy sand. Our study highlights the importance of soil type in determining the value of biochar as a soil amendment to improve soil properties, particularly soil aggregation and reduced nitrate leaching. The benefits of the biochar in the clay soil were greater than in the loamy sand soil.     

Effect of biochar on aerobic processes,enzyme activity,and crop yields in two sandy loam soils

Biochar added to agricultural soils may sequester carbon and improve physico-chemical conditions for crop growth, due to effects such as increased water and nutrient retention in the root zone. The effects of biochar on soil microbiological properties are less certain. We addressed the effects of wood-based biochar on soil respiration, water contents, potential ammonia oxidation (PAO), arylsulfatase activity (ASA), and crop yields at two temperate sandy loam soils under realistic field conditions. In situ soil respiration, PAO, and ASA were not significantly different in quadruplicate field plots with or without biochar (20 Mg ha^?1); however, in the same plots, volumetric water contents increased by 7.5 % due to biochar (P?=?0.007). Crop yields (oat) were not significantly different in the first year after biochar application, but in the second year, total yields of spring barley increased by 11 % (P??1, applied during two consecutive years, substantiated that biochar was not inhibitory to PAO and ASA as reference plots consistently showed lowest activities. For PAO, it was found that soil pH, rather than biochar rates, was a driving environmental variable. For ASA, the methodological approach was challenged by product sorption, but results did not suggest that biochar significantly stimulated the enzyme activity. Crop yields of maize in field experiments with 10–100 Mg biochar ha^?1 were unaffected by biochar except for a negative effect of the highest annual rates of 50 Mg ha^?1 in the first year after application. In conclusion, the present wood-based biochar poorly affected the measured microbial processes and generally resulted in similar crop yields in reference and biochar-amended soil plots.     

Temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition varies with biochar application and soil type

Biochar application has the potential to improve soil fertility and increase soil carbon stock, especially in tropical regions. Information on the temperature sensitivity of carbon dioxide(CO_2) evolution from biochar-amended soils at very high temperatures, as observed for tropical surface soils, is limited but urgently needed for the development of region-specific biochar management targeted to optimize biochar effects on soil functions. Here, we investigated the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration to the addition of different rates of Miscanthus biochar(0, 6.25, 12.5, and 25 Mg ha~(-1)) in two types of soils with contrasting textures. Biochar-amended soil treatments and their controls were incubated at constant temperatures of 20, 30, and 40℃. Overall, our results show that: i) considering data from all treatments and temperatures, the addition of biochar decreased soil CO_2 emissions when compared to untreated soils;ii) CO_2 emissions from biochar-amended soils had a higher temperature sensitivity than those from biochar-free soils; iii) the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in sandy soils was higher than that in clay soils; and iv) for clay soils, relative increases in soil CO_2 emissions from biochar-amended soils were higher when the temperature increased from 30 to 40℃, while for sandy soils, the highest temperature responses of soil respiration were observed when increasing the temperature from 20 to 30℃. Together, these findings suggest a significantly reduced potential to increase soil organic carbon stocks when Miscanthus biochar is applied to tropical soils at high surface temperatures, which could be counteracted by the soil-and weather-specific timing of biochar application.     

Sorption-desorption isotherms and biodegradation of glyphosate in two tropical soils aged with eucalyptus biochar

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sorption-desorption process and biodegradation of glyphosate in two tropical soils aged with biochar derived from eucalyptus. The biochar aging period was 30 d. There was little difference between the amounts of sorbed glyphosate in Ultisol (96.8, 96.8 and 96.4%) and Alfisol (97.1, 97.5 and 97.4%) soils that were unamended or amended with biochar aged for 0 or 30 d, respectively. Similar amounts of desorbed herbicide occurred in Ultisol (3.3, 3.3 and 3.4%) and Alfisol (4.1, 4.2 and 3.9%) soils, respectively. The degradation time half-life (DT50) of glyphosate in Ultisol unamended and initial amended were higher (38 and 36 d, respectively) than DT50 in the amended soil with 30 d of biochar aging (27 d); and in the Alfisol DT50 was higher in unamended soil (38 d), and similar in soil unamended at 0 and 30 d of biochar aging (21 and 26 d, respectively). The addition of biochar to two tropical soils or its aging did not have any effect on the sorption and desorption of glyphosate and its biodegradation in relation to the unamended soils, and it can did not affect the transport and persistence of this herbicide in soil.