Effects of field scale in situ biochar incorporation on soil environment in a tropical highly weathered soil. (1st March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jien, Shih-Hao; Kuo, Yu-Lin; Liao, Chien-Sen; Wu, Yu-Ting; Igalavithana, Avanthi Deshani; Tsang, Daniel C.W.; Ok, Yong Sik
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 272(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03-01
• Subjects: Black carbon -- Soil amendment -- Degraded soil -- Sustainable development goals -- Soil quality -- Soil erosion; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Biochar has been proven as a soil amendment to improve soil environment. However, mechanistic understanding of biochar on soil physical properties and microbial community remains unclear. In this study, a wood biochar (WB), was incorporated into a highly weathered tropical soil, and after 1 year the in situ changes in soil properties and microbial community were evaluated. A field trial was conducted for application of compost, wood biochar, and polyacrylamide. Microstructure and morphological features of the soils were characterized through 3D X-ray microscopy and polarized microscopy. Soil microbial communities were identified through next-generation sequencing (NGS). After incubation, the number of pores and connection throats between the pores of biochar treated soil increased by 3.8 and 7.2 times, respectively, compared to the control. According to NGS results, most sequences belonged to Anaerolinea thermolimosa, Caldithrix palaeochoryensis, Chthoniobacter flavus, and Cohnella soli . Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) further demonstrated that the microbial community structure was determined by inorganic N (IN), available P (AP), pH, soil organic C (SOC), porosity, bulk density (BD), and aggregate stability. The treatments with co-application of biochar and compost facilitated the dominance of Cal. palaeochoryensis, Cht. flavus, and Coh. soli, all of which promoted organic matter decomposition and ammonia oxidation in the soil. The apparent increases in IN, AP, porosity, and SOC caused by the addition of biochar and compost may be the proponents of changes in soil microbial communities. The co-application of compost and biochar may be a suitable strategy for real world biochar incorporation in highly weathered soil. Graphical abstract: A new remediation management strategy of tropical degraded soils is recommended as co-application of biochar and compost, which not only facilitated microbial activities and diversity but also effectively improved soil macrostructure and microstructure. The combined application of biochar + compost revealed significant restoration of the degraded soils under tropical climates. Image 1 Highlights: Biochar and/or compost incorporated in to a highly weathered soil. Numbers of pores and connection throats increased in biochar and compost treated soil. Beneficial microbial community increased in biochar and compost treated soils. Co-application of compost and biochar is a suitable strategy for highly weathered soil.