生物炭对褐土旱地玉米季氮转化功能基因、丛枝菌根真菌及N2O释放的影响

以豫西旱地玉米农田为研究对象,设置不同生物炭施用量处理（T0：不施用生物炭;T1：施用生物炭20 t/hm²;T2：施用生物炭40 t/hm²）,采用密闭式静态箱法测定N₂O排放通量和荧光定量PCR法分析丛枝菌根（arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM）真菌、氨单加氧酶（amoA）、亚硝酸盐还原酶（nirS、nirK）以及氧化亚氮还原酶（nosZ）的基因丰度,同时测定土壤理化性状的变化。研究结果表明,随着生物炭施用量的增加,土壤pH和含水量呈增加趋势,土壤有机碳、全氮和铵态氮含量显著提高,土壤容重和硝态氮含量显著降低。T1和T2处理土壤有机碳含量分别较T0显著提高38.44%和71.01%;T1和T2处理土壤铵态氮含量分别较T0显著增加15.89%和30.46%;T2处理土壤全氮含量较T0处理显著提高14.87%;T1和T2处理土壤硝态氮含量分别较T0减少10.57%和21.40%。随着生物炭施用量的增加,AM真菌侵染率显著增加,T1和T2处理分别较T0处理提高71.88%和115.88%;AOA、AOB、nirK和nirS基因丰度显著降低;nosZ基因丰度增加。施加生物炭处理的N₂O排放通量和累积排放量均低于不施生物炭处理,具体表现为：T0 > T1 > T2。相关分析表明,生物炭施用量与AM真菌基因丰度呈显著正相关;与nosZ基因丰度呈正相关;与AOA、AOB、nirK、nirS基因丰度呈极显著负相关。N₂O排放通量与AOA、nirK、nirS基因丰度呈极显著正相关;与土壤含水量和土壤硝态氮含量呈显著正相关;与AM真菌、nosZ基因丰度、易提取球囊霉素含量、铵态氮含量呈极显著负相关。集成推进树（ABT）分析表明,AOA对N₂O排放的影响最大,其次是AM真菌和nirS。总之,生物炭处理改善土壤理化性质、提高土壤AM真菌侵染率、调节硝化、反硝化相关功能基因的丰度,减少N₂O气体排放,为旱地农田合理施用生物炭减少N₂O气体排放提供理论依据。     

武夷山国家公园不同林地土壤呼吸动态变化及其影响因素

探明亚热带山岳型国家公园不同林地利用方式下土壤呼吸（R_s）的动态变化规律以及影响因素,对准确评价和预测该区域以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系的碳收支具有重要的现实意义。以武夷山国家公园为研究对象,利用Li-8100开路式土壤碳通量测定系统对茶园、锥栗（Castanea henryi（Skam） Rehd.et Wils.）林、马尾松（Pinus massoniana Lamb.）林和裸地的土壤呼吸及近地面气温、土壤温度、土壤湿度、土壤养分和土壤微生物碳（MBC）、氮（MBN）进行测定。结果显示：（1）与近地面气温、土壤温度和土壤湿度相同,不同林地的R_s均呈现夏 > 春 > 秋 > 冬的季节动态,R_s的季节均值按大小排序为茶园（3.10 μmol m^-2 s^-1） > 马尾松（2.96 μmol m^-2 s^-1） > 锥栗（2.32 μmol m^-2 s^-1） > 裸地（1.43 μmol m^-2 s^-1）,锥栗和裸地之间、锥栗与马尾松之间均差异显著（P<0.01）。除马尾松林外,其他林地水热因子（近地面气温、土壤温度和土壤湿度）的单因子二次多项式模型对R_s的拟合度最高。水热因子共同建立的复合模型中,土壤温度、湿度的幂-指数模型对茶园R_s的拟合度较高,土壤温度和土壤湿度能够解释R_s变化的80%,马尾松林的R_s较适用于土壤温度、湿度建立的对数函数模型,而三因子线性模型（进入回归法）对锥栗林和裸地的R_s的拟合度最优,R²分别为0.565和0.281。（2）茶园和锥栗林的碳、氮、磷含量均高于马尾松林和裸地,MBN含量茶园 > 马尾松 > 锥栗 > 裸地。茶园的R_s与全磷（TP）、有效磷（AP）、全钾（TK）、速效钾（AK）含量呈极显著（P<0.01）正相关,马尾松林的R_s受TP、TK、AK含量的影响极显著（P<0.01）,锥栗林的R_s与TK、AK、MBN含量呈现显著（P<0.05）正相关,裸地的R_s受MBN含量影响较为显著（P<0.05）,4种林地土壤呼吸与养分的多元逐步回归方程R²均接近1。综上,茶园和马尾松林土壤呼吸速率较高,且所有林地的土壤呼吸均呈现夏 > 春 > 秋 > 冬的季节动态。温度和湿度与土壤呼吸的相关性强,是水热条件丰富的亚热带山岳地区土壤呼吸季节变化的主导因素,其中武夷山茶园土壤呼吸对水热因子的响应在4种林地中最为敏感。除温度和湿度外,各林地土壤呼吸受P、K元素的影响较大,其中茶园主要受P元素影响,马尾松林地受K元素影响较多。     

武夷山自然保护区不同海拔甜槠天然林土壤有机碳变化特征及影响因素

为揭示中亚热带常绿阔叶林建群种--甜槠天然林不同海拔土壤有机碳含量垂直分布差异及影响机制，以武夷山自然保护区甜槠天然林单一植被类型为研究对象，在其集中分布的5个海拔梯度（540、700、850、1022、1200 m）范围内设置固定样地，测定每个海拔梯度不同深度土层土壤因子（土壤全氮、全磷、土壤pH值、容重、土壤有机质、粉粒、砂粒、粘粒）、气候因子（土壤温度）、植被因子（细根生物量）及土壤有机碳含量等指标，分析了土壤有机碳沿海拔及垂直土层分布特征，并在主成分分析基础上构建了基于主控因子的线性回归模型。结果表明：（1）同一海拔高度，土壤有机碳含量在土壤垂直剖面分布具有明显的"表聚性"现象；同一土层深度，随着海拔升高，土壤有机碳含量逐渐增加，但增幅随土层深度增加而减小，高海拔地区有助于土壤有机碳的固存；（2）不同土层土壤有机碳含量与海拔、土壤全氮、土壤含水量、土壤粉粒呈极显著正相关（P<0.01），与土壤温度、土壤容重、土壤粘粒、砂粒呈极显著负相关（P<0.01）；土壤细根生物量、土壤有机质与土壤有机碳含量在土壤表层（0-10、10-20 cm）呈极显著（P<0.01）或显著正相关（P<0.05）；土壤pH值、土壤砂粒与土壤有机碳含量在20-30 cm土层呈显著负相关（P<0.05），但与其他土层关系不显著（P>0.05）；海拔因素是影响土壤有机碳含量分布的主要因素，其次为土壤因素，植被因素主要影响土壤表层有机碳含量分布。（3）海拔因素能通过影响与土壤有机碳形成和转化的因子及改变土壤有机碳的累积和分解速率，对土壤有机碳的分布产生影响。（4）多元线性回归模型拟合R²高于一元线性回归模型拟合R²，能解释土壤有机碳含量变异的82.1%-98.1%。由此可见，不同环境因子组合可以更好的解释不同土层土壤有机碳含量随海拔梯度的变异。     

蚂蚁筑巢对西双版纳热带森林土壤有机氮矿化的影响

蚂蚁作为生态系统工程师能够调节土壤微生物及理化环境,进而对热带森林土壤有机氮矿化速率及其时间动态产生显著影响。以西双版纳白背桐热带森林群落为研究对象,采用室内需氧培养法测定土壤有机氮矿化速率,比较蚁巢和非蚁巢土壤有机氮矿化速率的时间动态,揭示蚂蚁筑巢活动引起土壤无机氮库、微生物生物量碳及化学性质改变对有机氮矿化速率时间动态的影响。结果表明：（1）蚂蚁筑巢显著影响土壤有机氮矿化速率（P<0.01）,相较于非蚁巢,蚁巢土壤有机氮矿化速率提高了261%;（2）土壤有机氮矿化速率随月份推移呈明显的单峰型变化趋势,即6月最大（蚁巢1.22 mg kg^-1 d^-1、非蚁巢0.41 mg kg^-1 d^-1）,12月最小（蚁巢0.82 mg kg^-1 d^-1、非蚁巢0.18 mg kg^-1 d^-1）;（3）两因素方差分析表明,不同月份及不同处理对土壤有机氮矿化速率、NH₄-N及NO₃-N产生显著影响（P<0.05）,但对NO₃-N的交互作用不显著;（4）蚂蚁筑巢显著提高了无机氮库（NH₄-N与NO₃-N）、微生物生物量碳、有机质、水解氮、全氮及易氧化有机碳等土壤养分含量,而降低了土壤pH值;（5）回归分析表明,铵态氮和硝态氮对土壤有机氮矿化速率产生显著影响,分别解释87.89%、61.84%的有机氮矿化速率变化;（6）主成份分析表明NH₄-N、微生物生物量碳及有机质是影响有机氮矿化速率时间动态的主要因素,而全氮、NO₃-N、易氧化有机碳、水解氮及pH对土壤有机氮矿化速率的影响次之,且pH与土壤有机氮矿化速率呈显著负相关。总之,蚂蚁筑巢活动主要通过影响土壤NH₄-N、微生物生物量碳及有机质的状况,进而调控西双版纳热带森林土壤有机氮矿化速率的时间动态。研究结果将有助于进一步提高对土壤氮矿化生物调控机制的认识。     

炉渣与生物炭施加对稻田土壤碳库及微生物的影响

以福州平原稻田为实验区,在2015年早、晚稻秧苗移栽前,对稻田进行施加生物炭、炉渣、生物炭+炉渣（混施）处理,并以不施加处理作为对照。为了了解施加处理的后续效应,于2017年检测早、晚稻拔节期和成熟期土壤有机碳含量及真菌、细菌数量。结果表明：3种施加处理稻田土壤有机碳（SOC）含量均比对照组有显著提高（P < 0.05）,但溶解性有机碳（DOC）、易氧化碳（EOC）、土壤微生物量碳（MBC）含量各处理之间差异不显著（P > 0.05）。与对照组相比,各施加处理组在一定程度上提高了土壤中真菌和细菌数量,但差异不显著（P > 0.05）。细菌数量与DOC含量呈极显著负相关（P < 0.01）,与EOC含量呈显著负相关（P < 0.05）,与MBC含量呈显著正相关（P < 0.05）。真菌/细菌比值与真菌数量、DOC含量呈极显著正相关（P < 0.01）。说明炉渣和生物炭施加处理2年后,仍可提高稻田土壤的碳库稳定性,并增加土壤微生物数量。     

放牧强度对内蒙古荒漠草原土壤有机碳及其空间异质性的影响

放牧是内蒙古荒漠草原主要利用方式之一,研究不同放牧强度下土壤有机碳分布规律对退化草原恢复以及推广精准放牧技术具有重要的指导意义。基于不同放牧强度长期放牧样地（0、0.93、1.82、2.71羊单位hm^-2（a/2）^-1）,采用高样本数量的取样设计并结合地统计学分析方法,研究荒漠草原土壤有机碳及其空间异质性。结果表明：中度放牧会显著降低0-30 cm土层全氮含量（P<0.05）,全磷含量随放牧强度增强出现先降低后升高趋势;放牧样地土壤有机碳含量均显著低于对照样地（P<0.05）,不同放牧强度处理土壤有机碳含量没有显著差异;土壤有机碳密度受放牧影响在0-20 cm土层出现显著下降（P<0.05）,变化趋势同有机碳含量相似,碳氮比在重度放牧区0-10 cm土层显著降低（P<0.05）。土壤有机碳空间异质性和异质性斑块的破碎程度随放牧强度增加而增大;土壤有机碳含量与海拔高度在对照、轻度放牧和中度放牧区均呈极显著负相关（P<0.01）,在重度放牧区土壤有机碳含量和海拔无显著相关性;土壤有机碳含量与土壤全氮、全磷含量均呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）。综上所述,放牧降低土壤有机碳含量,提高土壤有机碳空间异质性,土壤有机碳含量的空间变异受海拔和土壤养分含量等因素的共同影响。     

氮素添加对贝加尔针茅草原土壤团聚体微生物群落的影响

大气氮沉降增加作为全球气候变化的重要因素,其对土壤生态系统影响的研究受到了生态学家的广泛关注。土壤微生物是有机物分解和养分循环的主要参与者,在维持土壤的功能多样性和可持续发展方面发挥着重要的作用。氮沉降的激增会引起土壤微生物群落结构和功能的改变。土壤中营养物质在不同团聚体组分中分布的不均匀,为微生物提供了空间异质微生境。为揭示草原土壤不同粒径团聚体中微生物群落分布及其对氮素添加响应特征。自2010年起,在内蒙古贝加尔针茅草原典型地段设置N₀（0 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₅（15 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₃₀（30 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₅₀（50 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₀₀（100 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₅₀（150 kg hm^-2 a^-1）6个氮素添加处理模拟氮沉降野外控制试验。采用磷脂脂肪酸（phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA）法测定>2 mm、0.25-2 mm和<0.25 mm 3个粒径土壤团聚体中微生物PLFA含量,探讨氮素添加对土壤团聚体微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明：氮素添加提高了土壤碳、氮含量,降低了土壤pH。氮素添加显著提高了0.25-2 mm土壤团聚体微生物群落磷脂脂肪酸总量、真菌磷脂脂肪酸含量和真菌/细菌（Fungi/bacteria,F/B）、革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌（Gram-positive bacteria/gram-negative bacteria,G⁺/G^-）的比值（P<0.05）,降低了土壤团聚体微生物Margalef丰富度指数（P<0.05）。相关性分析表明,土壤团聚体微生物总PLFAs、真菌PLFAs含量、G⁺/G^-、F/B与土壤有机碳、全氮含量呈显著正相关关系,与C/N值负相关。综合研究表明,连续8年氮素添加显著提高了土壤有机碳和全氮含量、降低了土壤pH;提高了0.25-2 mm土壤团聚体真菌群落,土壤有机碳、全氮的固持与真菌群落的增加有关。     

半干旱沙丘与草甸典型植被类型区大气-叶片-凋落物-土壤连续体碳同位素特征

稳定碳同位素技术能够指示生态系统的物质循环与能量流动,根据生态系统碳转移动态,可以探明生态系统中碳循环过程和固碳能力。以科尔沁沙地半流动沙丘固沙植被差巴嘎蒿（Artemisia halodendron）、半流动半固定沙丘固沙植被小叶锦鸡儿（Caragana microphylla）和黄柳（Salix gordejevii Chang）,以及在草甸地广泛分布的芦苇（Phragmites australis）与玉米（Zea mays Linn）5种典型植被为研究对象,分析了各植被群落冠层处大气、叶片、凋落物、土壤连续体的δ¹³C值和碳含量的分布特征及各组分间的关系。结果表明：沙丘植被冠层处大气CO₂浓度显著低于草甸植被,受控于土壤水分特征和植物生长特性。在逆境胁迫下,小叶锦鸡儿叶片水分利用效率最高,固碳耗水成本最低。叶片碳含量和δ¹³C值均受叶片生育期的影响,新叶片潜在碳蓄积能力更强,水分利用效率更高。叶片凋落物δ¹³C值在不同植被间存在显著差异,说明了植物功能性的驱动作用。随着土壤深度的增加,有机质分解彻底,土壤有机碳含量减小,δ¹³C值呈偏正的趋势。沙丘土壤δ¹³C值高于草甸,沙丘土壤有机碳周转速率高于草甸,土壤类型对有机碳周转影响较大。有助于深入理解沙地-草甸相间地区碳循环关键过程,为荒漠化治理提供理论依据。     

我国东北土壤有机碳、无机碳含量与土壤理化性质的相关性

根据黑龙江、吉林、辽宁省和内蒙古地区相关历史资料数据,分析了我国东北表层土壤(0-50 cm)土壤相关理化性质与有机碳、无机碳的相关性,得到如下结论:土壤全氮、碱解氮、全磷、速效磷、速效钾、K⁺离子交换量、Fe₂O₃、P₂O₅、总孔隙度均与土壤有机碳含量呈显著正相关(R²=0.10-0.94, n=38-345, P<0.0001),但与土壤无机碳含量则大多呈显著负相关(R²=0.11-0.30, n=37-122, P<0.01);与此相反,土壤pH值、容重与土壤有机碳呈负相关(R²=0.36-0.42,n=41-304, P<0.0001),而与无机碳呈显著正相关(R²=0.29-0.31,n=39-125, P <0.01)。表层土壤有机碳、无机碳与土壤理化性质呈相反变化趋势的结果说明,由于土壤利用方式变化所导致的土壤理化性质改变对土壤无机碳和有机碳可能具有相反影响。在研究土壤碳平衡过程中,应该充分考虑这种关系所导致的相互补偿作用,即有机碳的增加,可能意味着无机碳的减少,或者反之。目前研究中普遍忽略无机碳的变化,可能导致生态系统碳收支计算显著偏差,所获得的经验拟合方程有利于对我国东北地区土壤碳平衡研究产生的这种偏差进行粗略估计。     

川西亚高山三种森林恢复途径对土壤生物有效磷的影响

土壤生物有效磷在提高森林生产力和生物地球化学循环中起着至关重要的作用,研究不同森林恢复途径对土壤生物有效磷的影响对于退化森林的适应性恢复和可持续经营具有重要意义。选取川西亚高山不同恢复途径下形成的3种森林类型,即粗枝云杉人工林（人工种植,PF）、岷江冷杉-红桦天然次生林（自然更新,NF）和粗枝云杉阔叶混交林（人工种植后自然更新,MF）,采用基于生物有效性的土壤磷分级方法测定土壤生物有效磷（CaCl₂-P、Citrate-P、Enzyme-P和HCl-P）,探究不同森林恢复途径对土壤生物有效磷的影响。结果表明：不同森林恢复途径对土壤生物有效磷影响显著（P<0.05）,NF和MF的土壤Citrate-P和Enzyme-P显著高于PF（P<0.05）,而PF的土壤HCl-P显著高于NF（P<0.05）。自然更新是3种森林恢复途径中最能提高土壤生物有效磷的方式。3种森林恢复途径下的土壤生物有效磷组分与速效磷均呈现显著的正相关关系,且NF的土壤速效磷与生物有效磷的相关性更强（CaCl₂-P除外）。显著影响NF土壤生物有效磷的土壤理化性质有全钾、铵态氮含量和pH值,且全钾对NF的土壤生物有效磷变异的解释程度最高（r²=0.63,P=0.001）。土壤pH值、钙和可溶性有机碳含量是显著影响MF土壤生物有效磷的主要土壤理化性质（P<0.05）。对PF的土壤生物有效磷具有显著影响的土壤理化性质是土壤有机碳、铁和可溶性有机碳含量。土壤理化性质对3种恢复途径下森林土壤生物有效磷的解释率均超过了80%,森林恢复途径对土壤生物有效磷的影响与土壤理化性质有关。     

Amending biochar affected enzyme activities and nitrogen turnover in Phaeozem and Luvisol

Soil nitrogen (N) is a vital source of nutrients for maintaining soil fertility and crop production. However, the effect of biochar application rate on the mechanism of organic N transformation and the contribution of enzyme mineralization is still unclear. Therefore, we conducted two 5-year field experiments in contrasting soils (Phaeozem and Luvisol) with biochar application rate at 0 t hm⁻² (CK, 0), 22.5 t hm⁻² (D₁, 1%), 67.5 t hm⁻² (D₂, 3%), and 112.5 t hm⁻² (D₃, 5%) to investigate the potential effects of biochar application rate on soil organic nitrogen (N) turnover and its linkage to enzymatic mineralization in contrasting soil. The results showed that soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents, microbial biomass carbon to nitrogen ratio (MBC:MBN) and protease activity are significantly influenced by biochar application rate whereas not by soil type. Ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) contents, and dehydrogenase activity are significantly changed by soil type whereas not by biochar application rate. Based on the redundancy analysis, we found that organic N fractions are associated with MBN, SOC, and protease in Phaeozem, but related to protease activity in Luvisol. Our findings indicate that organic N turnover is not only related to the bioavailability of N but also requires carbon substrates in Phaeozem, whereas the transformation of organic N in Luvisol is dominated by enzymatic mineralization as the relatively low level of bioavailable N.     

Response of soil carbon dioxide fluxes,soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon to biochar amendment: a meta‐analysis

Biochar as a carbon‐rich coproduct of pyrolyzing biomass, its amendment has been advocated as a potential strategy to soil carbon (C) sequestration. Updated data derived from 50 papers with 395 paired observations were reviewed using meta‐analysis procedures to examine responses of soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes, soil organic C (SOC), and soil microbial biomass C (MBC) contents to biochar amendment. When averaged across all studies, biochar amendment had no significant effect on soil CO₂ fluxes, but it significantly enhanced SOC content by 40% and MBC content by 18%. A positive response of soil CO₂ fluxes to biochar amendment was found in rice paddies, laboratory incubation studies, soils without vegetation, and unfertilized soils. Biochar amendment significantly increased soil MBC content in field studies, N‐fertilized soils, and soils with vegetation. Enhancement of SOC content following biochar amendment was the greatest in rice paddies among different land‐use types. Responses of soil CO₂ fluxes and MBC to biochar amendment varied with soil texture and pH. The use of biochar in combination with synthetic N fertilizer and waste compost fertilizer led to the greatest increases in soil CO₂ fluxes and MBC content, respectively. Both soil CO₂ fluxes and MBC responses to biochar amendment decreased with biochar application rate, pyrolysis temperature, or C/N ratio of biochar, while each increased SOC content enhancement. Among different biochar feedstock sources, positive responses of soil CO₂ fluxes and MBC were the highest for manure and crop residue feedstock sources, respectively. Soil CO₂ flux responses to biochar amendment decreased with pH of biochar, while biochars with pH of 8.1–9.0 had the greatest enhancement of SOC and MBC contents. Therefore, soil properties, land‐use type, agricultural practice, and biochar characteristics should be taken into account to assess the practical potential of biochar for mitigating climate change.     

芦芽山典型植被土壤有机碳剖面分布特征及碳储量

摘要: 基于芦芽山沿海拔梯度分布的灌丛草地、针阔混交林、寒温性针叶林和亚高山草甸四类典型植被下土壤剖面实测数据,分析了土壤有机碳的垂直分布特征及其与土壤理化因子的关系。结果表明,各植被类型下土壤剖面上层SOC含量最高,最大值往往出现在10—20 cm层,然后向下逐渐减小。土壤有机质含量由剖面上层最大值向下降低过程中,某深度土壤剖面层段有机质含量急剧减小。亚高山草甸剖面这一深度为20 cm,寒温性针叶林剖面为50 cm,针阔混交林剖面为20 cm,灌丛草地剖面为40 cm。0—10 cm层各植被类型间SOC含量差异不显著;10—20 cm层,亚高山草甸和寒温性针叶林SOC含量显著高于其他类型;20—50 cm层,亚高山草甸SOC含量与灌丛草地接近,显著高于针阔混交林,低于寒温性针叶林。植被类型对有机碳剖面分布影响较大。土壤剖面各层有机碳含量与容重呈显著负相关,与土壤含水量和全氮含量呈显著正相关,与土壤pH值呈弱的负相关,与深层黏粒和粉粒含量正相关,在30—50 cm正相关性显著。逐步回归分析结果表明,亚高山草甸SOC含量与土壤总氮含量、含水量和容重的显著相关,寒温性针叶林SOC含量与全氮含量显著相关,针阔混交林SOC含量则与总氮含量和土壤容重显著相关,而灌丛草地SOC含量与容重显著相关。在20 cm深度,四种植被土壤有机碳密度差异不显著;50 cm深度亚高山草甸、寒温性针叶林土壤有机碳储量显著高于针阔叶混交林和灌丛草地,50 cm深度土壤有机碳储量与海拔高度呈显著线性正相关（R2=0.299,P=0.01）。     

Greenhouse gas mitigation potential in crop production with biochar soil amendment—a carbon footprint assessment for cross‐site field experiments from China

Biochar soil amendment (BSA) had been advocated as a promising approach to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture. However, the net GHG mitigation potential of BSA remained unquantified with regard to the manufacturing process and field application. Carbon footprint (CF) was employed to assess the mitigating potential of BSA by estimating all the direct and indirect GHG emissions in the full life cycles of crop production including production and field application of biochar. Data were obtained from 7 sites (4 sites for paddy rice production and 3 sites for maize production) under a single BSA at 20 t/ha^?1 across mainland China. Considering soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and GHG emission reduction from syngas recycling, BSA reduced the CFs by 20.37–41.29 t carbon dioxide equivalent ha^?1 (CO₂‐eq ha^?1) and 28.58–39.49 t CO₂‐eq ha^?1 for paddy rice and maize production, respectively, compared to no biochar application. Without considering SOC sequestration and syngas recycling, the net CF change by BSA was in a range of ?25.06 to 9.82 t CO₂‐eq ha^?1 and ?20.07 to 5.95 t CO₂‐eq ha^?1 for paddy rice and maize production, respectively, over no biochar application. As the largest contributors among the others, syngas recycling in the process of biochar manufacture contributed by 47% to total CF reductions under BSA for rice cultivation while SOC sequestration contributed by 57% for maize cultivation. There was a large variability of the CF reductions across the studied sites whether in paddy rice or maize production, due likely to the difference in GHG emission reductions and SOC increments under BSA across the sites. This study emphasized that SOC sequestration should be taken into account the CF calculation of BSA. Improved biochar manufacturing technique could achieve a remarkable carbon sink by recycling the biogas for traditional fossil‐fuel replacement.     

Soil organic carbon dynamics jointly controlled by climate,carbon inputs,soil properties and soil carbon fractions

Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are regulated by the complex interplay of climatic, edaphic and biotic conditions. However, the interrelation of SOC and these drivers and their potential connection networks are rarely assessed quantitatively. Using observations of SOC dynamics with detailed soil properties from 90 field trials at 28 sites under different agroecosystems across the Australian cropping regions, we investigated the direct and indirect effects of climate, soil properties, carbon (C) inputs and soil C pools (a total of 17 variables) on SOC change rate (r_C, Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1). Among these variables, we found that the most influential variables on r_C were the average C input amount and annual precipitation, and the total SOC stock at the beginning of the trials. Overall, C inputs (including C input amount and pasture frequency in the crop rotation system) accounted for 27% of the relative influence on r_C, followed by climate 25% (including precipitation and temperature), soil C pools 24% (including pool size and composition) and soil properties (such as cation exchange capacity, clay content, bulk density) 24%. Path analysis identified a network of intercorrelations of climate, soil properties, C inputs and soil C pools in determining r_C. The direct correlation of r_C with climate was significantly weakened if removing the effects of soil properties and C pools, and vice versa. These results reveal the relative importance of climate, soil properties, C inputs and C pools and their complex interconnections in regulating SOC dynamics. Ignorance of the impact of changes in soil properties, C pool composition and C input (quantity and quality) on SOC dynamics is likely one of the main sources of uncertainty in SOC predictions from the process‐based SOC models.     

Estimation of soil organic carbon in the forest catchment of two hydroelectric reservoirs in Uttarakhand,India

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest active terrestrial carbon reservoir, which behaves both as a sink and source for atmospheric carbon. The same is maximum in the forest soil of Abies pindrow (128 t ha^?1) and minimum in Pinus roxburghii (69 t ha^?1). The mitigation potential is also found to be maximum in Alpine forest soil (i.e., 1.84) in Abies pindrow and minimum in the chir (i.e., 1.00) in P. Roxburghii. This indicates that alpine forest soil can hold nearly two times more SOC than chir and hence it behaves as a CO₂ sink. The overall average content of SOC and carbon dioxide equivalent under all land use was estimated at 91.29 t ha^?1 and 334.11 t ha^?1, respectively. The objective of this study is to estimate the spatial variability of SOC stocks in the catchment of both the Tehri and Koteshwar hydroelectric reservoir using field investigations, laboratory measurements, and geostatistical methods. The study provides an estimation for the amount of carbon reaching to the reservoir through various sources, where it undergoes aerobic and anaerobic degradation, thereby releasing green house gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. The information provided in this article will be useful for policy-makers and environmentalists for undertaking appropriate conservation plans to mitigate GHGs.     

The responses of soil organic carbon mineralization and microbial communities to fresh and aged biochar soil amendments

While biochar soil amendment has been widely proposed as a soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration strategy to mitigate detrimental climate changes in global agriculture, the SOC sequestration was still not clearly understood for the different effects of fresh and aged biochar on SOC mineralization. In the present study of a two‐factorial experiment, topsoil samples from a rice paddy were laboratory‐incubated with and without fresh or aged biochar pyrolyzed of wheat residue and with and without crop residue‐derived dissolved organic matter (CRM) for monitoring soil organic matter decomposition under controlled conditions. The six treatments included soil with no biochar, with fresh biochar and with aged biochar treated with CRM, respectively. For fresh biochar treatment, the topsoil of a same rice paddy was amended with wheat biochar directly from a pyrolysis wheat straw, the soil with aged biochar was collected from the same soil 6 years following a single amendment of same biochar. Total CO₂ emission from the soil was monitored over a 64 day time span of laboratory incubation, while microbial biomass carbon and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) were determined at the end of incubation period. Without CRM, total organic carbon mineralization was significantly decreased by 38.8% with aged biochar but increased by 28.9% with fresh biochar, compared to no biochar. With CRM, however, the significantly highest net carbon mineralization occurred in the soil without biochar compared to the biochar‐amended soil. Compared to aged biochar, fresh biochar addition significantly increased the total PLFA concentration by 20.3%–33.8% and altered the microbial community structure by increasing 17:1ω8c (Gram‐negative bacteria) and i17:0 (Gram‐positive bacteria) mole percentages and by decreasing the ratio of fungi/bacteria. Furthermore, biochar amendment significantly lowered the metabolic quotient of SOC decomposition, thereby becoming greater with aged biochar than with fresh biochar. The finding here suggests that biochar amendment could improve carbon utilization efficiency by soil microbial community and SOC sequestration potential in paddy soil can be enhanced by the presence of biochar in soil over the long run.     

Contrasting effects of maize residue,coal gas residue and their biochars on nutrient mineralization,enzyme activities and CO2 emissions in sandy loess soil

Mismanagement of crop straw and coal gas residue threatens the atmosphere and the economy. Nevertheless, thermal-pyrolysis is an option for management that turns bio-waste into biochar; its viability and adoption by the public as soil amendments is dependent on the agronomic and environmental values compared between biochar and the raw materials. We undertook a 60-day short-term analysis to assess the impact of various wastes and biochars, as well as inorganic nutrients (N), on carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes, soil enzyme activities, soil fertility status, and microbial activities. There were eight treatments of soil amendments: without an amendment (CK), Nutrients (N), straw + nutrients (S+N), straw biochar + nutrients (SB+N), coal gas residue + nutrients (C+N), coal gas residue biochar + nutrients (CB+N), straw + straw biochar + nutrients (S+SB+N) and coal gas residue waste + coal gas residue biochar + nutrients (C+ CB +N). The results indicated that soil EC, pH, nitrate N (NO₃^–- N), SOC, TN and available K were significantly (p < 0.05) increased coal gas residue biochar and combined with coal fly ash as compared to maize straw biochar and combined with maize straw and N treatments. The higher concentrations of soil MBC and MBN activities were increased in the maize straw application, while higher soil enzyme activity such as, invertase, urease and catalase were enhanced in the coal fly ash derived biochar treatments. The higher cumulative CO₂ emissions were recorded in the combined applications of maize straw and its biochar as well as coal gas residue and its biochar treatment. Our study concludes, that maize straw and coal fly ash wastes were converted into biochar product could be a feasible substitute way of discarding, since land amendment and decreased CO₂ fluxes and positive changes in soil microbial, and chemical properties, and can be confirmed under long-term conditions for reduction of economical and environment issues.