Effects of biochar compared to organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil quality and plant growth in a greenhouse experiment

Our contemporary society is struggling with soil degradation due to overuse and climate change. Pre‐Columbian people left behind sustainably fertile soils rich in organic matter and nutrients well known as terra preta (de Indio) by adding charred residues (biochar) together with organic and inorganic wastes such as excrements and household garbage being a model for sustainable agriculture today. This is the reason why new studies on biochar effects on ecosystem services rapidly emerge. Beneficial effects of biochar amendment on plant growth, soil nutrient content, and C storage were repeatedly observed although a number of negative effects were reported, too. In addition, there is no consensus on benefits of biochar when combined with fertilizers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test whether biochar effects on soil quality and plant growth could be improved by addition of mineral and organic fertilizers. For this purpose, two growth periods of oat (Avena sativa L.) were studied under tropical conditions (26°C and 2600 mm annual rainfall) on an infertile sandy soil in the greenhouse in fivefold replication. Treatments comprised control (only water), mineral fertilizer (111.5 kg N ha^–1, 111.5 kg P ha^–1, and 82.9 kg K ha^–1), compost (5% by weight), biochar (5% by weight), and combinations of biochar (5% by weight) plus mineral fertilizer (111.5 kg N ha^–1, 111.5 kg P ha^–1, and 82.9 kg K ha^–1), and biochar (2.5% by weight) plus compost (2.5% by weight). Pure compost application showed highest yield during the two growth periods, followed by the biochar + compost mixture. biochar addition to mineral fertilizer significantly increased plant growth compared to mineral fertilizer alone. During the second growth period, plant yields were significantly smaller compared to the first growth period. biochar and compost additions significantly increased total organic C content during the two growth periods. Cation‐exchange capacity (CEC) could not be increased upon biochar addition while base saturation (BS) was significantly increased due to ash addition with biochar. On the other hand, compost addition significantly increased CEC. Biochar addition significantly increased soil pH but pH value was generally lower during the second growth period probably due to leaching of base cations. Biochar addition did not reduce ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate leaching during the experiment but it reduced nitrification. The overall plant growth and soil fertility decreased in the order compost > biochar + compost > mineral fertilizer + biochar > mineral fertilizer > control. Further experiments should optimize biochar–organic fertilizer systems.     

Predicting Carbon Stocks Following Reforestation of Pastures: A Sampling Scenario‐Based Approach for Testing the Utility of Field‐Measured and Remotely Derived Variables

Reforestation of agricultural lands is an important means of restoring land and sequestering carbon (C). At large scales, the labour and costs of direct measurement of ecosystem responses can be prohibitive, making the development of models valuable. Here, we develop a new sampling scenario‐based modelling approach coupled with Bayesian model averaging to build predictive models for absolute values in mixed‐species woody plantings and differences from their adjacent pasture, for litter stocks, soil C stocks and soil C:N ratios. Modelling scenarios of increasing data availability and effort were tested. These included variables that could be derived without a site visit (e.g. location, climate and management) that were sampled in the adjacent pasture (e.g. soil C and nutrients) or were sampled in the environmental planting (e.g. vegetation, litter properties, soil C and nutrients). The predictive power of models varied considerably among C variables (litter stocks, soil C stocks and soil C:N ratios in tree plantings and their differences to their adjacent pastures) and the model scenarios used. The use of a sampling scenario‐based approach to building predictive models shows promise for monitoring changes in tree plantings, following reforestation. The approach could also be readily adapted to other contexts where sampling effort for predictor variables in models is a major potential limitation to model utilization. This study demonstrates the benefit of exploring scenarios of data availability during modelling and will be especially valuable where the sampling effort differs greatly among variables. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Managing field margins for biodiversity and carbon sequestration: a Great Britain case study

Abstract. Field margins are a valuable resource in the farmed landscape, providing numerous environmental benefits. We present a preliminary analysis of the carbon mitigation potential of different field margin management options for Great Britain, calculated using data from long-term experiments and literature estimates. The carbon sequestration potential of the individual options investigated here varies from 0.1 to 2.4% of 1990 UK CO₂-C emissions, or 0.7–20% of the Quantified Emission Limitation Reduction Commitment (QELRC). The scenarios investigated covered three possible margin widths and options for the management of margins at each width (viz. grass strips, hedgerows and tree strips). Scenarios involving margin widths of 2, 6 or 20 m would require approximately 2.3, 6.7 or 21.3% of the total arable area of Great Britain, respectively. Scenarios including tree strips offered the greatest potential for carbon sequestration, since large amounts would be accumulated in above-ground biomass in addition to that in soil. We also accounted for the possible impacts of changed land management on trace gas fluxes, which indicated that any scenario involving a change from arable to grass strip, hedgerow or tree strip would significantly reduce N₂O emissions, and thus further increase carbon mitigation potential. There would also be considerable potential for including the scenarios investigated here with other strategies for the alternative management of UK arable land to identify optimal combinations. We assumed that it would take 50–100 years for soil carbon to reach a new equilibrium following a land use change. More detailed analyses need to be conducted to include environmental benefits, socioeconomic factors and the full system carbon balance.     

中国CDM林业碳汇项目的评价指标体系

就如何评价CDM林业碳汇项目确立了定性与定量相结合的生态效益、经济效益与社会效益3大类指标,同时提出了切实可行的CDM林业碳汇项目实施保障措施,以促进我国林业的发展,缓解全球气候变化。     

Organic matter fractions within macroaggregates in response to long-term fertilization in calcareous soil after reclamation

Soil organic carbon(SOC) plays a key role in improving soil quality and optimizing crop yield. Yet little is known about the fate of macroaggregates(0.25 mm) under long-term fertilization and their relative importance in SOC sequestration in reclaimed calcareous soil. Therefore, the effects of mineral fertilizers and organic manure on the mechanisms of organic carbon(OC) stabilization in macroaggregates were investigated in this study. Four treatments were used: unfertilized control(CK), mineral fertilizer(NPK), compost chicken manure alone(M), and mineral fertilizers plus manure(MNPK). Samples from the 0–20 cm layer of soil receiving 11-year-long fertilization were separated into four fractions based on the macroaggregates present(unprotected coarse and fine particulate organic matter, cPOM and fPOM; physically protected intra-microaggregate POM, i POM; and biochemically protected mineral associated OM, MOM) by the physical fractionation method. Compared with the control, the long-term application of NPK had little effect on SOC content, total nitrogen(TN) content, and OC and TN contents of macroaggregate fractions. In contrast, incorporation of organic manure(MNPK) significantly increased SOC(45.7%) and TN(24.3%) contents. Application of MNPK increased OC contents within macroaggregate-extracted fractions of cPOM(292.2%), fPOM(136.0%) and iPOM(124.0%), and TN contents within cPOM(607.1%), fPOM(242.5%) and iPOM(127.6%), but not the mineral associated organic carbon(MOM-C) and nitrogen(MOM-N) contents. Unprotected C fractions were more strongly and positively correlated with SOC increase than protected C fractions, especially for cPOM-C, indicating that SOC sequestration mainly occurred via cPOM-C in the studied calcareous soil. In conclusion, MNPK increased the quantity and stability of SOC by increasing the contents of cPOM-C and cPOM-N, suggesting that this management practice(MNPK) is an effective strategy to develop sustainable agriculture.     

长期施用有机源土壤调理剂对果园土壤的影响-以草莓和苹果种植区为例

本文以北京市昌平区草莓和苹果种植区为研究对象,系统研究了2006-2019年长期施用有机源土壤调理剂对其不同土层深度中土壤容重、有机质等土壤理化指标的影响,并研究了不同测算模型对土壤有机碳及固碳量等结果的影响。结果表明：①长期施用有机源土壤调理剂显著提高了草莓和苹果种植区不同土层深度的容重和有机物含量(P<0.05)。②长期施用有机源土壤调理剂显著提高了草莓和苹果种植区有机碳的含量(P<0.05),其中草莓种植区的有机碳含量提高了89.58%,苹果种植区的有机碳含量提高了2.75倍。③不同测算模型对草莓和苹果种植区的有机碳和固碳量的结果存在差异。与实测法相比,基于估算法(IPCC,2006和Li等,2018)的有机碳储量和土壤固碳量结果较低。本研究结果可为有机源土壤调理剂改良果园土壤和固碳潜力提供提供方法和理论支持。     

旱伞草水热炭的稳定性特征及固碳潜能

为探究湿地植物旱伞草水热炭的稳定性特征与固碳潜能,分别在200、220、240℃和260℃下制备旱伞草水热炭,通过元素分析、红外光谱分析、X射线衍射分析、热重分析及化学氧化分析等方法分别探究了水热炭的理化性质及热稳定性和化学稳定性,并对不同温度水热炭的固碳潜能进行评估。结果表明：随着水热碳化温度升高,水热炭产率下降,pH值和灰分含量上升,H/C和O/C降低,—OH、—C—O等不稳定含氧官能团减少,芳香化程度增加。热重分析和稳定性系数（R₅₀）分析结果表明,不同温度制备的水热炭的R₅₀值为0.47~0.59。H₂O₂氧化试验表明,中低温（220℃）制备的水热炭的抗氧化性能最好,其氧化后稳定碳含量为54.14%。此外,固碳潜能分析结果表明,随着碳化温度的升高,旱伞草水热炭的固碳系数在30.21%~31.54%范围内波动,长期固碳潜能的CO₂当量为2.76~2.88 Mt·a^-1。研究表明：200℃和220℃制备的中低温水热炭具有较好的化学稳定性,且在短期固碳效果上具有优势;而260℃制备的高温水热炭具有最佳的热稳定性和长期固碳潜能,在固碳减排方面具有良好的应用前景。     

稻田入土生物质炭自然陈化过程理化特性变化规律

为探究生物质炭入土后其长期理化特性变化,以水稻秸秆生物质炭为试验材料,通过分析长期定位试验田中的入土生物质炭样品,探究了稻田土壤中生物质炭的理化特性变化规律。结果表明,入土生物质炭颗粒随时间推移经历持续性物理破碎,平均孔径显著降低,入土11年后,生物质炭比表面积从初始的55.0 m²·g^-1增大到259.0 m²·g^-1,氢与碳的摩尔比从最初的0.423提升至0.568,不饱和度显著提升。入土生物质炭C=O（1 600~1 630 cm^-1）和C—O—C（1 080 cm^-1）的骨架振动强度和芳香族C—H（790 cm^-1）的平面振动均增强,其含氧官能团的类型和含量呈现明显增加的趋势。与此同时,入土生物质炭的可热降解组分占比不断提高,热稳定性逐渐降低。研究表明,与实验室老化模拟试验结果明显不同,受诸多外力作用和环境因素的影响,稻田中入土生物质炭的理化特性发生了更显著的变化,稳定性随着时间的推移逐年降低。因此,为精准科学评估稻田生态系统生物质炭化还田的固碳减排效应,开展入土生物质炭长期稳定性分析测试与相关评价模型研究十分必要。     

长期施肥下水稻土有机碳固持形态与特征

基于为期30年的红壤性水稻土长期定位试验,选用不施肥(CK)、化肥氮磷钾配施(NPK)、NPK配施低量有机肥(NPKM7/3)、NPK配施中量有机肥(NPKM5/5)、NPK配施高量有机肥(NPKM3/7)五个处理,通过物理-化学联合分组方法,分析土壤有机碳在不同施肥处理下的非保护、物理、化学、生化、物理-化学及物理-生化保护组分的碳含量特征及其与土壤总有机碳之间的关系,并探讨稻田土壤有机碳的固持机制。结果表明,除了非保护的轻组和微团聚体内闭蓄态的粘粉粒组分外,其他组分的质量比例在各施肥处理间均有显著性差异。有机无机配施(NPKM7/3、NPKM5/5、NPKM3/7)下,总有机碳含量(19.1~25.0 g·kg-1)、非保护的粗颗粒有机碳(cPOM)含量(8.41~12.7 g·kg-1)及物理保护的微团聚体有机碳(6.41~6.62 g·kg-1)含量均显著高于CK处理(P<0.05)。对化学、生化、物理-化学及物理-生化保护态的有机碳含量无显著性影响,表明非保护的cPOM及物理保护的微团聚体(μagg)对施肥的响应最敏感。相关分析表明,cPOM、物理保护的μagg及其闭蓄的细颗粒有机碳(iPOM)与土壤总有机碳含量之间呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05),相关方程的斜率表明有机碳变化引起了组分变化,其中:土壤总有机碳变化引起的cPOM变化率最高(50%);土壤总有机碳积累引起物理保护的μagg及其闭蓄的iPOM碳组分变化率为12%;生化保护的非酸解粘粒和物理-化学保护的酸解的粉粒虽与土壤总有机碳显著相关,其变化率仅为2%~3%;其他各保护机制下的组分与土壤总有机碳含量均无显著相关关系。这表明在现行种植和管理制度下,供试红壤性水稻土有机碳主要以cPOM及μagg有机碳的形式积累,土壤化学、生化、物理-化学及物理-生化保护碳组分可能已经达到平衡。     

基于生态视角的粮食主产区利益补偿估算研究

为了更加有效地衡量粮食主产区发展粮食生产支付的成本,改变现行的与过去农业税计税面积挂钩的各项经济补偿方法提供帮助,采取从生态视角人手的方法,在虚拟水补偿、碳吸收补偿和土壤有机质含量下降补偿三者相结合的基础上,构建了粮食主产区利益补偿估算模型.利用全国最大的粮食生产省份黑龙江省2011年的数据,带入估算模型得到了水稻、小麦、玉米、大豆的单位重量补偿金额,进而换算成单位面积补偿金额,对估算数据进行了简要说明,并对今后的进一步研究提出了展望.