棉秆炭特性及其对灰漠土土壤有机碳矿化的效应

生物炭具有提高土壤肥力和减缓温室气体排放的作用,但其对土壤有机碳矿化的作用效应存在争议。以新疆灰漠土为研究对象,采用300℃和600℃制备的棉花秸秆炭(棉杆炭)为试材,在25℃、75%的土壤饱和含水量条件下,通过100 d的室内培养,研究了不同比例的棉杆炭添加(0、0.1%、0.5%、1.0%、2.0%和100%,以质量计)对土壤有机碳矿化的效应。结果表明:1)高温制备的棉杆炭,孔隙结构排列整齐,表面光滑,孔隙度和比表面积大,芳香化程度增强;2)棉杆炭的有机碳矿化速率与时间呈乘幂关系(P0.05),300℃棉杆炭相比600℃棉杆炭的累积矿化量和累积矿化率分别提高了318%和87.06%;高温炭化抑制了有机碳矿化;与对照相比,添加300℃棉杆炭增加了土壤有机碳累积矿化量(0.1%处理除外,降低了7.22%),并随棉杆炭添加量而增加,土壤有机碳累积矿化量提高幅度在3.05%—35.28%,而添加600℃棉杆炭降低了土壤有机碳累积矿化量,降低幅度为6.11%—10.79%;3)培养前期(0—20 d)300℃棉杆炭对灰漠土土壤原有有机碳矿化为正激发效应(0.1%处理除外),后期为负激发效应,整个培养期内为负激发效应;600℃棉杆炭培养前期(0—5 d)对土壤原有有机碳激发效应微小,主要表现为负激发效应。由此可见,低温制备的棉杆炭能提高土壤有机碳矿化,而高温制备棉杆炭则抑制了土壤有机碳矿化,棉杆炭添加对土壤原有有机碳矿化具有负激发效应,能够促进土壤有机碳积累。     

生物炭的稳定性及其对矿物改性的响应机制研究进展

生物炭具有高度的碳素稳定性,是一种能有效缓解温室效应的固碳材料.研发碳素持留率高和稳定性强的生物炭对固碳减排具有重要意义.矿物改性处理能对生物炭的稳定性起调控作用,但目前相关研究并未得到足够重视,相应调控机理尚不十分清楚.本研究首先对生物炭稳定性的评价指标进行了归纳,主要包括H/C原子比、O/C原子比、稳定性系数R₅₀、挥发性物质含量、碳素热失重率、碳素(化学)氧化损失率、微生物矿化量等.其次,在分析生物炭稳定性影响因素(如原料类型、炭化条件、外界环境等)的基础上,综述了矿物改性对生物炭稳定性影响的研究进展,并探讨了稳定性增强和减弱的响应机制,认为生物炭稳定性的增强响应主要是基于矿物本身的物理阻隔作用,以及矿物与生物炭之间通过交互作用形成的有机矿物复合体对生物炭起到的保护作用,在一定程度上抑制生物炭的降解;而生物炭稳定性的减弱响应则主要与特殊矿物组分有关,例如含铁矿物组分在高温下促进生物炭的降解.最后对未来的研究方向进行了展望,以期进一步推动生物炭固碳减排技术的发展,并为获得稳定性更强的生物炭提供技术支撑和理论依据.     

生物炭及秸秆对水稻土各密度组分有机碳及微生物的影响

生物炭被认为是土壤碳封存的有效手段,但是关于生物炭对土壤不同密度组分有机碳影响的研究报道很少。以南方稻麦轮作区水稻土为研究对象,通过田间小区试验研究了不施有机物(CK)、玉米秸秆还田(CS)、施用300℃热解生物炭(300BC)、施用400℃热解生物炭(400BC)和施用500℃热解生物炭(500BC)处理对土壤轻重组分质量比例,土壤轻重组分有机碳和土壤微生物的影响。结果表明:1)施用生物炭显著提高了土壤轻组的质量比例和土壤轻组有机碳含量,轻组有机碳含量为500BC400BC300BCCSCK,对重组有机碳影响不显著,但重组有机碳在土壤中占重要比例;2)施加生物炭后土壤微生物量相比对照也有提高,但是与施加秸秆处理相比,微生物量提高幅度较小。研究表明,生物炭能提高土壤有机碳含量,尤其提高了土壤轻组有机碳的累积,但由于生物炭特殊的芳烃结构,其轻组组分化学性质稳定,这与传统的土壤有机碳轻组理论不同。与秸秆处理相比,生物炭处理具有较低的土壤微生物量与微生物商,有利于土壤碳的固定。     

有机物料还田对双季稻田土壤有机碳及其活性组分的影响

有机物料还田是提升农田土壤有机碳、培肥土壤的重要措施。为探讨不同有机物料的还田效果,采用室外培养方法,研究了在等碳输入条件下,施用水稻秸秆、紫云英、生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭对洞庭湖双季稻区潮土有机碳和活性有机碳组分含量的影响。结果表明: 经过180 d的培养试验,与不施用有机物料相比,施用有机物料提高了土壤活性有机碳含量。生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭处理分别使土壤有机碳含量显著提升了26.1%、9.7%和30.7%,水稻秸秆和紫云英对土壤有机碳含量的提升效应在试验期间并不显著。水稻秸秆和紫云英还田更有利于土壤可溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳的积累,猪粪更有利于土壤可溶性有机碳的积累,生物有机肥更有利于土壤微生物生物量碳和易氧化有机碳的积累,水稻秸秆生物炭则更有利于土壤微生物生物量碳和轻组有机碳的积累。与水稻秸秆还田相比,紫云英、生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭还田使土壤碳库管理指数分别提高了31.8%、111.6%、62.2%和50.7%。从土壤固碳和土壤碳库管理指数来看,生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭的还田效果优于水稻秸秆和紫云英还田。     

易分解有机碳对不同恢复年限森林土壤激发效应的影响

土壤有机碳库作为陆地生态系统最大的碳库,其微小的改变都将引起大气CO_2浓度的急剧改变。易分解有机碳的输入可以通过正/负激发效应加快/减缓土壤有机碳(SOC)的矿化,并最终影响土壤碳平衡。以长汀县不同恢复年限森林(裸地、5年、15年、30年马尾松林以及天然林)土壤为研究对象,通过室内培养向土壤中添加~(13)C标记葡萄糖研究易分解有机碳输入对不同恢复阶段森林土壤激发效应的影响。研究结果表明,易分解有机碳输入引起的土壤激发效应的方向和强度因不同恢复阶段而异。易分解有机碳输入的初期对各恢复阶段森林土壤均产生正的激发效应,然而随着时间的推移,15年、30年马尾松林以及天然林相继出现负的激发效应。从整个培养期(59 d)来看,易分解有机碳的输入促进了裸地与5年生马尾松林土壤有机碳的矿化,有机碳的矿化量分别提高了131%±27%与25%±5%;但是减缓了15年生马尾松林土壤有机碳的矿化,使其矿化量减少了10%±1%;然而,易分解有机碳输入对30年生马尾松林及天然林土壤有机碳的矿化则无明显影响。土壤累积激发碳量与葡萄糖添加前后土壤氮素的改变百分比呈显著正相关关系(R~2=0.44,P0.05),表明易分解有机碳输入诱导的土壤激发效应受土壤氮素可利用性的调控,土壤微生物需要通过分解原有土壤有机碳释放的氮素来满足自身的需求。     

易分解有机碳输入量对武夷山常绿阔叶林不同土层深度土壤激发效应的影响

土壤有机碳(SOC)的矿化在碳、氮循环过程中起着极为重要的作用。易分解有机碳的输入可以通过正(负)激发效应加快(减缓)原有SOC的矿化。然而,先前的研究更多关注易分解有机碳输入量对表层(0~20 cm)土壤激发效应的影响,而较少关注其对深层(>20 cm)土壤激发效应的影响。本研究利用¹³C标记葡萄糖(99 atom%)添加试验,研究葡萄糖添加量对武夷山常绿阔叶林表层(0~20 cm)和深层(30~40 cm)土壤激发效应的影响,并通过分析微生物群落组成的变化以及土壤可利用氮含量的变化探讨土壤激发效应产生的机理。结果表明:葡萄糖的添加抑制了表层和深层SOC的矿化(P<0.05),使SOC的矿化量分别减少了26%~61%与62%~68%,呈现负的激发效应,但激发强度因葡萄糖添加量和土层深度而异。对于表层土壤,激发强度随着葡萄糖添加量的增加而增加;而对于深层土壤,激发强度对葡萄糖添加量的响应并不敏感。而且,葡萄糖的添加并未显著影响表层和深层土壤的微生物量碳氮含量和微生物群落组成(总磷脂脂肪酸含量;细菌、真菌、放线菌磷脂脂肪酸含量以及细菌真菌比)(P>0.05)。土壤激发强度并非取决于土壤微生物群落组成,而是取决于土壤中可利用氮的含量,其可以分别解释表层和深层土壤激发效应变化的90.8%与63.4%。虽然葡萄糖的添加降低了土壤可利用氮的含量,但并未造成土壤氮的固持,这表明土壤现有可利用氮仍能够满足微生物对氮的需求。因此,在土壤矿质养分充足的情况下,微生物对外源易分解有机物的优先利用可能是负激发效应产生的主要原因。     

稻田土壤有机碳矿化及其激发效应对磷添加的响应

采用室内模拟培养和¹³C同位素标记技术相结合的研究方法,探讨了在葡萄糖与无机氮肥共施的条件下,土壤有机碳矿化及其激发效应对外源磷添加的响应,以揭示土壤有机碳矿化的碳磷耦合调控机制.结果表明:外源磷的输入加快了CO_2的释放,但抑制了CH_4的释放;在整个土壤淹水培养期间,磷添加抑制了土壤碳矿化释放CH_4总量的53.1%,其中外源葡萄糖-¹³C矿化成¹³CH_4的总量降低了70.5%;磷添加促使通过微生物转化的葡萄糖-¹³C向易利用态碳库的分配比例增加了3.6%,显著提高土壤有机碳快库矿化速率,缩短土壤碳矿化周期.土壤培养前期,外源有机质的添加表现为短暂的负激发效应;随着葡萄糖不断矿化分解,CO_2累积激发效应(PE_{CO_2})总体上呈现先增加后下降的趋势,而CH_4累积激发效应(PE_{CH_4})稳步增加最终保持基本稳定状态;培养结束时(100 d),在磷添加条件下,PE_{CO_2}增强32.3%,PE_{CH_4}显著降低93.4%.冗余分析和Pearson分析表明,电导率、氧化还原电位和溶解有机碳对稻田土壤碳矿化的影响最为显著;速效磷与¹³CH_4、PE_{CH_4}呈极显著负相关.在外源有机质添加条件下,磷的添加能够抑制CH_4排放及其激发效应,促进土壤有机质的矿化和养分释放,提高土壤原有有机碳的可利用性,促进稻田土壤有机碳循环.     

易分解有机碳输入量对武夷山不同林型土壤激发效应的影响

土壤有机碳库是陆地生态系统中最大的碳储量库,其微小的变化也能使大气中CO₂浓度发生巨大的改变,植物来源碳的输入能通过激发效应促进或抑制土壤有机碳（SOC）的分解,对SOC的动态平衡产生影响。以武夷山三个林型（阔叶林、马尾松林、针阔混交林）土壤为研究对象,通过向土壤中添加不同量的¹³C标记葡萄糖（0、100、200、400 mg C/kg）研究易分解有机碳输入量对不同林型土壤激发效应的影响,并在此基础上探讨易分解有机碳输入量对土壤激发效应影响的作用机理。结果表明,葡萄糖输入对土壤激发效应的影响与葡萄糖输入量和林型有关。葡萄糖的输入均抑制了三个林型SOC的分解（即,呈现负的激发效应）。阔叶林土壤和针阔混交林土壤激效应强度随着葡萄糖输入量的增加而增加,而马尾松林土壤的激发效应强度对葡萄糖输入量的响应并不明显。然而在马尾松林土壤中由葡萄糖所引起的激发效应强度显著高于其他两种林型土壤。研究结果表明,易分解有机碳的输入可以抑制SOC的矿化,形成负激发效应,阔叶林土壤的激发效应强度与土壤可利用氮、葡萄糖添加量与微生物碳量比值有关,而针阔混交林与马尾松林土壤的激发效应强度分别与土壤中的放线菌和真菌有关。     

还田秸秆碳在土壤中的转化分配及对土壤有机碳库影响的研究进展

农田土壤有机碳库是全球碳循环的重要组成部分.随着秸秆还田技术的广泛应用,作物秸秆成为土壤外源碳的主要来源.秸秆碳在土壤中的转化与分配直接影响土壤有机碳组成与含量,进而改变土壤养分循环.基于近年来的相关研究,本文探讨了还田秸秆碳转化与分配过程的影响因子,详细介绍了参与秸秆碳同化过程的土壤微生物组成,归纳与阐述了秸秆碳对土壤有机碳组成、含量及其周转的影响.同时,就非生物因子对秸秆碳的生物转化效应的影响、秸秆碳转化过程中的生物和非生物因子的互作、秸秆碳氮和土壤碳氮循环的耦合作用、秸秆碳向土壤活性有机碳库或稳定性有机碳库转化的有效调控技术等主要研究方向进行了展望,以期为准确揭示秸秆还田条件下各类土壤有机碳的变化特征,进而为实现秸秆还田的高效培肥与固碳效应提供理论依据和技术支撑.     

秸秆还田配施中微量元素对农田土壤有机碳固持的影响

为研究秸秆还田配施中量元素(S)和微量元素(Fe和Zn)对粮田土壤有机碳固持的影响,进行了为期52 d的室内玉米秸秆腐解培养试验. 结果表明:秸秆腐解过程中分别添加S、Fe和Zn元素,均提高了微生物生物量碳(MBC)及土壤CO₂-C矿化速率,52 d腐解培养结束后,CO₂-C的累积矿化量显著提高,但土壤有机碳含量并未显著降低;3种元素中,添加Fe或Zn的处理提高了土壤惰性碳库、惰性碳库比例及土壤有机碳表观平衡,有利于土壤有机碳固持,而添加S的处理却降低了惰性有机碳比例及土壤有机碳表观平衡,不利于有机碳固持. 因此,在施N、P肥基础上,秸秆还田添加S、Fe或Zn均能促进土壤有机碳的矿化进程,但添加Fe或Zn可使更多有机碳固持于土壤中,添加S不利于土壤有机碳的固持.     

Biochar stability in soil: meta‐analysis of decomposition and priming effects

The stability and decomposition of biochar are fundamental to understand its persistence in soil, its contribution to carbon (C) sequestration, and thus its role in the global C cycle. Our current knowledge about the degradability of biochar, however, is limited. Using 128 observations of biochar‐derived CO₂ from 24 studies with stable (¹³C) and radioactive (¹⁴C) carbon isotopes, we meta‐analyzed the biochar decomposition in soil and estimated its mean residence time (MRT). The decomposed amount of biochar increased logarithmically with experimental duration, and the decomposition rate decreased with time. The biochar decomposition rate varied significantly with experimental duration, feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, and soil clay content. The MRTs of labile and recalcitrant biochar C pools were estimated to be about 108 days and 556 years with pool sizes of 3% and 97%, respectively. These results show that only a small part of biochar is bioavailable and that the remaining 97% contribute directly to long‐term C sequestration in soil. The second database (116 observations from 21 studies) was used to evaluate the priming effects after biochar addition. Biochar slightly retarded the mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM; overall mean: ?3.8%, 95% CI = ?8.1–0.8%) compared to the soil without biochar addition. Significant negative priming was common for studies with a duration shorter than half a year (?8.6%), crop‐derived biochar (?20.3%), fast pyrolysis (?18.9%), the lowest pyrolysis temperature (?18.5%), and small application amounts (?11.9%). In contrast, biochar addition to sandy soils strongly stimulated SOM mineralization by 20.8%. This indicates that biochar stimulates microbial activities especially in soils with low fertility. Furthermore, abiotic and biotic processes, as well as the characteristics of biochar and soils, affecting biochar decomposition are discussed. We conclude that biochar can persist in soils on a centennial scale and that it has a positive effect on SOM dynamics and thus on C sequestration.     

Investigating the biochar effects on C‐mineralization and sequestration of carbon in soil compared with conventional amendments using the stable isotope (δ13C) approach

Biomass‐derived black carbon (biochar) is considered to be an effective tool to mitigate global warming by long‐term C‐sequestration in soil and to influence C‐mineralization via priming effects. However, the underlying mechanism of biochar (BC) priming relative to conventional biowaste (BW) amendments remains uncertain. Here, we used a stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) approach to estimate the possible biochar effects on native soil C‐mineralization compared with various BW additions and potential carbon sequestration. The results show that immediately after application, BC suppresses and then increases C‐mineralization, causing a loss of 0.14–7.17 mg‐CO₂–C g^?1‐C compared to the control (0.24–1.86 mg‐CO₂–C g^?1‐C) over 1–120 days. Negative priming was observed for BC compared to various BW amendments (?10.22 to ?23.56 mg‐CO₂–C g^?1‐soil‐C); however, it was trivially positive relative to that of the control (8.64 mg‐CO₂–C g^?1‐soil‐C). Furthermore, according to the residual carbon and δ¹³C signature of postexperimental soil carbon, BC‐C significantly increased (P < 0.05) the soil carbon stock by carbon sequestration in soil compared with various biowaste amendments. The results of cumulative CO₂–C emissions, relative priming effects, and carbon storage indicate that BC reduces C‐mineralization, resulting in greater C‐sequestration compared with other BW amendments, and the magnitude of this effect initially increases and then decreases and stabilizes over time, possibly due to the presence of recalcitrant‐C (4.92 mg‐C g^?1‐soil) in BC, the reduced microbial activity, and the sorption of labile organic carbon (OC) onto BC particles.     

Biochar stimulates the decomposition of simple organic matter and suppresses the decomposition of complex organic matter in a sandy loam soil

Incorporating crop residues and biochar has received increasing attention as tools to mitigate atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and promote soil carbon (C) sequestration. However, direct comparisons between biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw on both labile and recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored the impact of biochars produced at different temperatures and torrefied biomass on the simple C substrates (glucose, amino acids), plant residues (Lolium perenne L.), and native SOM breakdown in soil using a ¹⁴C labeling approach. Torrefied biomass and biochars produced from wheat straw at four contrasting pyrolysis temperatures (250, 350, 450, and 550 °C) were incorporated into a sandy loam soil and their impact on C turnover compared to an unamended soil or one amended with unprocessed straw. Biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw application induced a shift in the soil microbial community size, activity, and structure with the greatest effects in the straw‐amended soil. In addition, they also resulted in changes in microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) leading to more substrate C being partitioned into catabolic processes. While overall the biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw addition increased soil respiration, it reduced the turnover rate of the simple C substrates, plant residues, and native SOM and had no appreciable effect on the turnover rate of the microbial biomass. The negative SOM priming was positively correlated with biochar production temperature. We therefore ascribe the increase in soil CO₂ efflux to biochar‐derived C rather than that originating from SOM. In conclusion, the SOM priming magnitude is strongly influenced by both the soil organic C quality and the biochar properties. In comparison with straw, biochar has the greatest potential to promote soil C storage. However, straw and torrefied biomass may have other cobenefits which may make them more suitable as a CO₂ abatement strategy.     

Effect of physical weathering on the carbon sequestration potential of biochars and hydrochars in soil

Physical weathering can modify the stability of biochar after field exposure. The aim of our study was to determine the potential carbon sequestration of the two chars at different timescales. We investigated the modification in composition and stability resulting from physical weathering of two different chars produced (i) at low temperature (250 °C) by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC); and (ii) at high temperature (1200 °C) by gasification (GS) using contrasting feedstocks. Physical weathering of HTC and GS placed on a water permeable canvas was performed through successive wetting/drying and freezing/thawing cycles. Carbon loss was assessed by mass balance. Chemical stability of the remaining material was evaluated as resistance to acid dichromate oxidation, and biological stability was assessed during laboratory incubation. Moreover, we assessed modification in potential priming effects due to physical weathering. Physical weathering induced a carbon loss ranging between 10 and 40% of the total C mass depending on the feedstock. This C loss is most probably related to leaching of small particulate and dissolved compounds. GS produced from maize silage showed the highest C loss. The chemical stability of HTC and GS was unaffected by physical weathering. In contrast, physical weathering strongly increased the biological stability of HTC and GS char produced from maize silage. After physical weathering, the half‐life (t_1/2) of GS was doubled but only slight increase was noted for those of HTC. During the first weeks of incubation, HTC addition to soil stimulated native soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization (positive priming effect), while the GS addition led to protection of the native SOM against biologic degradation (negative priming effect). Physical weathering led to reduction in these priming effects. Model extrapolations based on our data showed that decadal C sequestration potential of GS and HTC is globally equivalent when all losses including those due to priming and physical weathering were taken into account. However, at century scale only GS may have the potential to increase soil C storage.     

Biochar mineralization and priming effect on SOM decomposition in two European short rotation coppices

As studies on biochar stability in field conditions are very scarce, the carbon sequestration potential of biochar application to agricultural soils remains uncertain. This study assessed the stability of biochar in field conditions, the effect of plant roots on biochar stability and the effect of biochar on original soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition in two (Italy and United Kingdom) short rotation coppice systems (SRCs), using continuous soil respiration monitoring and periodic isotopic (δ¹³CO₂) measurements. When root growth was excluded, only 7% and 3% of the biochar carbon added was decomposed after 245 and 164 days in Italy and United Kingdom sites respectively. In the presence of roots, this percentage was increased to 9% and 8%, suggesting a small positive priming effect of roots on biochar decomposition. A decreased decomposition rate of original SOM was observed at both sites after biochar incorporation, suggesting a protective effect of biochar on SOM. This study supports the carbon sequestration potential of biochar and highlights the role of root activity on biochar decomposition, questioning the applicability of laboratory incubation studies to assess biochar stability.     

亚热带森林不同植物及器官来源的可溶性有机质输入对土壤激发效应的影响及其作用机理

外源有机物的输入可以通过正负激发效应影响土壤有机碳(SOC)的矿化。然而, 当前的研究较少考虑不同植物及器官来源可溶性有机质(DOM)输入对土壤激发效应的影响及其作用机理。该研究以武夷山森林土壤为研究对象, 以室内培养的方式向土壤中添加¹³C标记青冈(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)、杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)、木莲(Manglietia fordiana)和相思(Acacia confusa)这4种植物的根和叶来源DOM, 研究不同植物及器官来源DOM输入对土壤激发效应的影响及其作用机理。主要结果: 不同植物及器官来源DOM添加初期加快了SOC的矿化, 呈现正激发效应, 随后转为负激发效应。从整个培养期(90天)的累积激发效应来看, DOM的输入均抑制了SOC的矿化, 使其矿化量减少22%-49%, 其中青冈根DOM输入使SOC的矿化量减少最多, 而由木莲叶DOM输入减少的SOC矿化量最少。DOM输入引起的土壤激发效应强度受不同植物器官影响明显, 具体表现在植物根来源DOM输入所引起的土壤激发效应强度显著高于植物叶来源DOM输入所引起的激发效应强度(相思除外)。DOM的输入总体上提高了土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)含量、土壤β-葡萄糖苷酶活性、纤维素酶活性以及土壤有效氮含量, 而对微生物群落组成无明显影响。从结构方程模型来看, DOM输入所引起的土壤激发效应主要受土壤微生物对外源碳的利用(¹³C-MBC)、纤维素酶活性以及土壤有效氮含量的影响, 这些因子的变化可解释植物叶来源DOM和根来源DOM添加处理下土壤激发效应变化的68%和86%。该研究结果表明在土壤氮充足的条件下, DOM的输入可以通过提高微生物生物量、土壤酶活性来加快分解所添加的外源有机物, 从而减少了对SOC的分解。因此, 在该研究中“底物优先利用”是土壤激发效应的主要作用机理。     

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.     

Biochar Decelerates Soil Organic Nitrogen Cycling but Stimulates Soil Nitrification in a Temperate Arable Field Trial

Biochar production and subsequent soil incorporation could provide carbon farming solutions to global climate change and escalating food demand. There is evidence that biochar amendment causes fundamental changes in soil nutrient cycles, often resulting in marked increases in crop production, particularly in acidic and in infertile soils with low soil organic matter contents, although comparable outcomes in temperate soils are variable. We offer insight into the mechanisms underlying these findings by focusing attention on the soil nitrogen (N) cycle, specifically on hitherto unmeasured processes of organic N cycling in arable soils. We here investigated the impacts of biochar addition on soil organic and inorganic N pools and on gross transformation rates of both pools in a biochar field trial on arable land (Chernozem) in Traismauer, Lower Austria. We found that biochar increased total soil organic carbon but decreased the extractable organic C pool and soil nitrate. While gross rates of organic N transformation processes were reduced by 50–80%, gross N mineralization of organic N was not affected. In contrast, biochar promoted soil ammonia-oxidizer populations (bacterial and archaeal nitrifiers) and accelerated gross nitrification rates more than two-fold. Our findings indicate a de-coupling of the soil organic and inorganic N cycles, with a build-up of organic N, and deceleration of inorganic N release from this pool. The results therefore suggest that addition of inorganic fertilizer-N in combination with biochar could compensate for the reduction in organic N mineralization, with plants and microbes drawing on fertilizer-N for growth, in turn fuelling the belowground build-up of organic N. We conclude that combined addition of biochar with fertilizer-N may increase soil organic N in turn enhancing soil carbon sequestration and thereby could play a fundamental role in future soil management strategies.