A meta-analysis and critical evaluation of influencing factors on soil carbon priming following biochar amendment

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Previous studies have found biochar-induced effects on native soil organic carbon (NSOC) decomposition, with a range of positive, negative and no priming reported....     

Short-term biochar-induced increase in soil CO2 release is both biotically and abiotically mediated

The application of biochar to soil has been shown to cause an apparent increase in soil respiration. In this study we investigated the mechanistic basis of this response. We hypothesized that increased CO₂ efflux could occur by: (1) Biochar-induced changes in soil physical properties (bulk density, porosity, moisture content); (2) The biological breakdown of organic carbon (C) released from the biochar; (3) The abiotic release of inorganic C contained in the biochar; (4) A biochar-induced stimulation of decomposition of native soil organic matter (SOM) which could occur both biotically or abiotically; (5) The intrinsic biological activity of the biochar results in the liberation of CO₂. Our results show that most of the extra CO₂ produced after biochar addition to soil came from the equal breakdown of organic C and the release of inorganic C contained in the biochar. Using long-term ¹⁴C-labelled SOM, we show that biochar repressed native SOM breakdown, counteracting the release of CO₂ from the biochar. A range of mechanisms to describe this negative priming response is presented. Although biochar-induced significant changes in the physical characteristics of the soil, overall this made no contribution to changes in soil respiration. Similarly, the evidence from our study suggests that changes in soluble polyphenols do not help explain the respiration response. In summary, biochar induced a net release of CO₂ from the soil; however, this C loss was very small relative to the amount of C stored within the biochar itself (ca. 0.1%). This short-term C release should therefore not compromise its ability to contribute to long-term C sequestration in soil environments.     

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.

     

An overview on biochar production, its implications, and mechanisms of biochar-induced amelioration of soil and plant characteristics

The degradation of soil fertility and quality due to rapid industrialization and human activities has stimulated interest in the rehabilitation of low-fertility soils to sustainably improve crop yield. In this regard, biochar has emerged as an effective multi-beneficial additive that can be used as a medium for the amelioration of soil properties and plant growth. The current review highlights the methods and conditions for biochar production and the effects of pyrolysis temperature, feedstock type, and retention time on the physicochemical properties of biochar. We also discuss the impact of biochar as a soil amendment with respect to enhancing soil physical (e.g., surface area, porosity, ion exchange, and water-holding capacity) and chemical (e.g., pH, nutrient exchange,functional groups, and carbon sequestration) properties, improving the soil microbiome for increased plant nutrient uptake and growth, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing infectious diseases in plants, and facilitating the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The possible mechanisms for biochar-induced amelioration of soil and plant characteristics are also described, and we consider the challenges associated with biochar utilization. The findings discussed in this review support the feasibility of expending the application of biochar to improve degraded soils in industrial and saline-alkali regions, thereby increasing the usable amount of cultivated soil. Future research should include long-term field experiments and studies on biochar production and environmental risk management to optimize biochar performance for specific soil remediation purposes.     

Performance of biochar derived from Cymbopogon winterianus waste at two temperatures on soil properties and growth of Bacopa monneri

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of biochar derived from the distilled waste of Cymbopogon winterianus at two different pyrolysis temperatures (450°C and 850°C) on the chemical and biological properties of sandy loamy soil (SLS) and its subsequent impact on plant growth. Pot experiments utilizing Bacopa monnieri were performed in a greenhouse with four different application rates of biochar (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% (w/w)) for 120 days. Biochar induced alterations in soil properties (nutrients, enzymes, and microbes) and plant responses (yield, biocide and antioxidant content) to biochar addition were measured. Biochar application, notably improved the soil carbon, cation exchange capacity, and the availability of NH₄ ⁺ and phosphorus. Initially, biochar produced at the lower temperature had more effect on the available nitrogen, phosphorus, soil enzymatic properties, and plant biomass growth. After 120 days, the pyrolysis temperature had only a marginal influence on biochar-induced effects on soil pH, WHC, and soil enzymatic activities. Our results suggest that C. winterianus derived biochar amendment leads to an overall amelioration of soil fertility and plant growth improvement. In specific biochar produced at lower temperatures (450°C) was more effective for improvement of plant biomass and soil characteristics.     

红壤基质组分对磷吸持指数的影响

在红壤旱地肥料长期定位试验(始于1988年)中,选取了无机肥试验区的NPK、NP、NK、PK,有机无机配施试验区的CK、CK+猪厩肥(BM)及CK+花生秸秆(SR)等7个施肥处理土壤,测定了土壤磷吸持指数(Phosphate sorption index,PSI),分析了PSI与红壤最大吸磷量(Xm)的相关关系,讨论了土壤pH、有机质、黏粒、铁铝氧化物及无机磷酸盐等基质组分对PSI的影响。结果表明:长期施磷或配施有机肥均可显著降低红壤PSI值,随着土壤pH的升高、有机质及铁结合态磷酸盐(Fe-P)含量的增加,红壤PSI显著降低;土壤游离铁铝氧化物及黏粒含量越高,PSI也越大。PSI与Xm呈显著线性相关关系(Xm=0.5PSI+412.8,n=15,r=0.967**,p<0.01),因此,可以用PSI替代Xm来表征土壤固磷能力,亦可由PSI的大小来推断土壤磷的供磷能力。     

选用解磷菌剂改善缺磷土壤磷素的有效性

山西省大部分土壤为石灰性土壤,耕地土壤缺磷较严重,施入土壤的化学磷肥极易被固定,为了提高缺磷土壤磷素的有效性,分离筛选的B2和B67菌株研制的解磷菌剂(后称菌剂),首先接种到以磷酸三钙为唯一磷源的培养基中,液体速效磷含量比CK提高12.92倍和9.18倍,然后又接种到其它典型缺磷土壤中,可使土壤速效磷含量较CK增加1.35~3.04倍,且发现其溶磷效果和液体的pH值有关,也与土壤磷酸酶活性和有效活菌数相关,而且菌剂在提高土壤速效磷含量的同时,也提高了土壤速效钾的含量。另外菌剂在缺磷的盆栽和大田试验中取得相同效果,除显著提高土壤速效磷含量,培肥土壤外,同时还有改善作物农艺性状,提高作物产量的功效。     

The influence of phosphate fertilizers on Cd solubility in soil

We investigated the influence of monoammonium phosphate (MAP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP) on the adsorption process of Cd by two typic soils. The phosphate induced variations in the pH values of soil-Cd suspensions, drastically influenced the solubility of the heavy metal in the two soils. MAP decreased the amount adsorbed while DAP increased the quantity fixed by the soil. The effect was particularly remarkable in the soil with low content of organic matter (Lamporecchio soil) where the addition of DAP caused the precipitation of the heavy metal. In the organic soil (Orentano soil) the effect of phosphate was less evident because of the high buffering capacity of this soil, rich in colloidal fractions.     

土壤微生物溶磷分子机理研究进展

土壤中均含有大量的难溶性磷,而有效磷含量一般较低,土壤磷素供给不足常常是制约作物生长发育的重要因素之一。因此,活化土壤难溶性磷,增强土壤供磷能力,一直是人们普遍关注的重要问题。土壤中存在大量的溶磷微生物,这些微生物能够将难溶磷转化为植物能够吸收利用的有效磷。可见,了解这些微生物的溶磷机理,对于利用其溶磷功能、提高土壤磷素利用效率十分重要。本文对近年来微生物溶磷分子机理进行了综述。     

Sodium bicarbonate as an extractant for soil phosphate,I. Separation of the factors affecting the amount of phosphate displaced from soil from those affecting secondary adsorption

A mathematical procedure was developed to permit the estimation of both the amount of phosphate initially displaced from soil and the amount undergoing secondary adsorption.The proportion of previously added phosphate which was initially displaced by bicarbonate decreased as the period and temperature of prior contact between soil and phosphate increased. The proportion displaced was greater than was displaced by dilute calcium chloride.The amount of secondary adsorption depended on the soil:solution ratio, the level of addition of phosphate, the period of shaking, and the kind of soil. Part of the effect of soil:solution ratio appeared to arise because of adsorption of bicarbonate. As a result, at high soil:solution ratios, the bicarbonate concentration in solution was lower and so competition for re-adsorption was less effective. Bicarbonate was less effective at preventing re-adsorption when the level of prior addition of phosphate was high. This may have occurred because prior adsorption of phosphate had increased the negative charge on the surface. Because of secondary adsorption, there was a curvilinear relationship between the amount of phosphate added to the soil and the amount present in the extract.     

生物质炭引起的土壤碳激发效应与土壤理化特性的相关性

生物质炭添加到土壤中将引发不同的激发效应,然而生物质炭激发效应与土壤性质之间的关系还不明确.将等碳量的13C稳定性同位素标记的小麦秸秆及其制成的生物质炭分别添加到4种不同性质的土壤中,室内培养1年,测定生物质炭及秸秆中碳元素在不同土壤中的降解量及其对土壤原有机碳的激发效应量.结果表明:生物质炭在黑土水稻土以及下位砂姜土...     

Comparing two theories about the nature of soil phosphate

Two theories about the nature of phosphate in soil are current. One holds that soil phosphate is mostly present as particles of iron, aluminium and calcium phosphates: the precipitate-particulate theory. The other holds that phosphate is mostly adsorbed and penetrates heterogeneous, variable-charge particles: the adsorption-penetration theory. This is the only theory that is consistent with and can be deduced from observations. It is my contention that the persistence of the precipitate-particulate theory leads to: wasted research effort in trying to identify the supposed phosphate fractions; failure to recognize the long-term changes in soil phosphate due to repeated applications, and thus to over-fertilisation; and misapprehension about the effects of pH on phosphate availability.     

土壤磷酸盐氧同位素分析方法和应用研究进展

在一定温度下磷酸盐和周边水体氧的同位素分馏仅受生物活动控制,因此磷酸盐氧同位素成为生态系统中磷源和磷循环研究的良好示踪剂。介绍了磷酸盐氧同位素研究应用的理论基础和近几年来针对土壤富含有机质,氧元素来源多样的特点发展起来的土壤磷酸盐氧同位素的分析和纯化方法,综述了磷酸盐氧同位素在土壤磷源示踪和磷循环应用研究中的初步进展,并提出目前研究存在的局限和对未来工作的展望。     

The effects of phosphate on zinc sorption by a soil

Zinc sorption curves were obtained after treatment of a soil with several rates of phosphate and with two rates of lime. The lime permitted evaluation of the effects of phosphate on Zn sorption via its effects on pH. The phosphate was either incubated with the soil at a high temperature before reaction with Zn or was supplied at the same time as the Zn. This produced treatments with similar concentration of phosphate in solution but different amounts of sorbed phosphate.
Two distinct effects of phosphate addition on Zn sorption were detected. One arose from effects of phosphate on pH. This effect could be large and could either increase or decrease Zn sorption depending on the direction of the pH effect. A second effect was correlated with the amount of sorbed phosphate and was assumed to operate through the effects of phosphate on charge. The effects were small at low levels of Zn but larger at higher levels. This suggested that Zn and phosphate were sorbed at opposite ends of a spectrum of electrostatic potentials and overlap only occurred when the level of application was high. A third possible effect, due to reaction of the soil with zinc phosphate complexes in solution, was not proved.     

Sodium bicarbonate as an extractant for soil phosphate III. Effects of the buffering capacity of a soil for phosphate

An index of the buffering capacity for phosphate of a group of soils was obtained by measuring adsorption of phosphate from dilute solutions of calcium chloride. The effect of buffering capacity on the amount of phosphate initially displaced by solutions of sodium bicarbonate and on the amount of secondary adsorption from bicarbonate was then studied. These two effects were separated using a regression procedure in which the soil: solution ratio was the independent variable.As buffering capacity increased the amount of phosphorus initially displaced decreased and the amount of secondary adsorption increased. Both these changes resulted in a decrease in the amount of phosphate in the extract. The effect of buffering capacity was greater with the Olsen method (soil : solution ratio 1 : 20; 30 min) than with the Colwell method (soil : solution ratio 1 : 100; 16 h). The relation between phosphorus extracted and buffering capacity was of a similar shape to that between effectiveness of fertilizer and buffering capacity. However, the first relation depends on the conditions of extraction and the second on the kind of plant grown and on the conditions of growth. Hence the two relations do not necessarily coincide.The effect of buffering capacity on the proportion of added phosphate initially displaced from the soil became more marked as the period of incubation prior to extraction was increased. Bicarbonate soil tests would therefore indicate that, on soils of low buffering capacity, the decrease with time in availability of applied phosphate would be smaller than on soils of high buffering capacity. This effect differs from that observed with plants.     

石灰性土壤中解磷优势菌的筛选研究

从石灰性土壤作物根际土样筛选出2株具有较强解P能力的优势菌株“B2”和“B67”,平板培养溶P圈D/d值分别为5.1和3·8,液体摇床培养过程中产生苹果酸、丙二酸、草酸和乳酸等多种有机酸,产酸总量分别为对照的28·25和19.78倍,pH分别较对照下降2.3和1.1,将“B2”和“B67”的培养液分别接种到4个不同地区土壤中恒温恒湿培养20d后测定结果表明,所有土壤中速效磷含量均有所提高,且接种“B2”处理分别为对照的2.64、3.04、1.71和2.20倍,接种“B67”处理分别为对照的2.12、1.90、1.35和1.78倍,且发现其溶P效果和土壤磷酸酶活性与有效活菌数变化趋势基本一致。     

长期不同施肥模式红壤性水稻土磷素变化

【目的】研究红壤性水稻土长期不同施肥模式下耕层土壤有效磷含量与全磷含量的变化特征,以及有效磷含量与累积磷盈亏的关系,分析不同形态磷肥对土壤磷素有效性影响的差异,找出最有效的红壤性水稻土磷素培肥施肥方式。【方法】供试土壤取自1981~2012年在江西进行的红壤双季稻稻田长期定位试验。试验自始至终保持水分、农药等日常田间管理与当地习惯相同,统一水稻品种并定期更换。试验设5个处理:施氮钾肥(NK);氮磷钾化肥(NPK);两倍氮磷钾化肥(NPK2);早稻氮磷钾化肥配施紫云英,晚稻氮磷钾化肥配施猪粪(NPKM);长期不施肥(CK)。分析了耕层土壤有效磷含量和全磷含量计算了有效磷增量与累积磷盈亏的相互关系。【结果】试验32年后对照土壤磷年均亏缺22.7 kg/hm2,有效磷含量在低水平下维持平衡;NK处理磷素年均亏缺27.9kg/hm2,显著高于不施肥处理,全磷含量缓慢降低32年累计降低了8.6%,有效磷含量呈持平趋势。NPK、NPK2、NPKM处理土壤磷素均有盈余,年均盈余量分别为33.3、39.0、41.0 kg/hm~2,全磷含量分别增加了32.1%、89.4%、165.1%,有效磷含量分别增加了2.2、6.9、15.3倍,年上升速率分别为0.30、1.18、1.79 mg/kg,有效磷增量与累积磷盈余呈显著正相关。NPK化肥配施有机肥处理不仅提高土壤有效磷及全磷的含量,还显著提高磷素有效性。水稻产量增加量随累积磷投入量和有效磷的增加而增加,前期增加较快后期增加较慢,有效磷含量具有明显的拐点,其值超过20 mg/kg后产量就增加缓慢。【结论】红壤性水稻土在双季稻种植模式下,长期不施磷肥处理土壤全磷含量缓慢降低,有效磷含量可维持低水平下的平衡。施磷处理土壤全磷含量,有效磷含量以及磷素有效性均呈上升趋势且无机磷肥与有机磷肥配施处理上升最快。无机磷肥与有机磷肥配合施用在提高土壤全磷含量的同时也提高磷素的有效性。土壤有效磷超过20 mg/kg后相对产量提高缓慢。氮磷钾化肥与有机肥配合施用是提高耕层土壤磷素库容和提高磷素活化能力的有效措施。     

A mechanistic model for describing the sorption and desorption of phosphate by soil

A model of phosphate reaction is constructed and its output compared with observations for the sorption and desorption of phosphate by soil. The model has three components: first, the reaction between divalent phosphate ions and a variable-charge surface; second, the assumption that there is a range of values of surface properties and that these are normally distributed; third, the assumption that the initial adsorption induces a diffusion gradient towards the interior of the particle which begins a solid-state diffusion process. The model closely describes the effects on sorption of phosphate of: concentration of phosphate, pH, temperature, and time of contact. It also reproduces the effects on desorption of phosphate of: period of prior contact, period and temperature of desorption, and soil: solution ratio. The model is general and should apply to other specifically adsorbed anions and cations. It suggests that phosphate that has reacted with soil for a long period is not ‘fixed’ but has mostly penetrated into the soil particles. The phosphorus can be recovered slowly if a low enough surface activity is induced.     

Phosphate fertilizer enhancing soil erosion: effects and mechanisms in a variably charged soil

Purpose

The extensive application of phosphate fertilizers could produce a series of environmental problems by adsorbing on the surface of soil particle and migrating into water during soil erosion. Therefore, this study is to explore the effects of phosphate on soil aggregate stability and soil erosion and to analyze the mechanisms of phosphate enhancing soil erosion from the scope of soil charge density, electric field, and particle interaction.

Materials and methods

A variable charged soil (0–20 cm) was pre-treated firstly by KCl, K₂HPO₄, and KH₂PO₄, respectively. Under the conditions of KCl, K₂HPO₄, and KH₂PO₄ solutions with concentrations of 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mol L^?1, (1) the amounts of soil particle transport and erosion intensities were measured using rainfall simulation with electrolyte solutions instead of rainwater; (2) the aggregate stabilities were measured by weighing the particles and micro-aggregates of <2, 5, and 10 μm after soil aggregate breakdown in electrolyte solutions; and (3) the zeta potentials of soil particles were measured in electrolyte solutions.

Results and discussion

The application of K₂HPO₄ and KH₂PO₄ in soil strongly enhanced soil aggregate breakdown and soil erosion, while in KCl application, soil aggregates were stable and erosion did not occur. Moreover, the intensities of soil aggregate breakdown and soil erosion for K₂HPO₄ application were much stronger than that for KH₂PO₄ application. Phosphate, especially K₂HPO₄, strongly increased surface negative charge density of soil particles and thus increased the electrostatic repulsive pressure between adjacent soil particles in aggregates, and as a result, the soil erosion intensity increased. However, the surface charge density was not increased by the increased pH, specific adsorption, and dispersion force adsorption but possibly attributed to a non-classic induction force adsorption arising from the anionic non-classic polarization in the strong electric field around soil particle surface.

Conclusions

The application of phosphate decreased aggregate stability and stimulated soil erosion through increasing charge density of particle surface by a new non-classic induction adsorption of phosphate.

     

长期施用有机肥和磷肥对潮褐土土壤有机质及腐殖质组成的影响

采用长期肥料定位试验,研究了施用有机肥和磷肥对土壤有机质、腐殖质含量与组成的影响。结果表明:与本试验布置时的基础土样相比,连续10年隔年施用有机肥、有机肥和磷肥配施使土壤有机质增加了8.4%~17.3%,单施磷肥土壤有机质下降了7.8%~10.7%,其差异均达显著水平;与P0M0相比,单施磷肥、有机肥、有机肥和磷肥配施处理的土壤中有机质分别增加了2.9%~6.2%、24.8%~29.8%、25.2%~35.1%;土壤腐植酸总量及胡敏酸含量与土壤有机质含量呈显著正相关关系;施用磷肥利于土壤富里酸的积累,并影响土壤胡富比。