Impact of biochar on mineralisation of C and N from soil and willow litter and its relationship with microbial community biomass and structure

• Published in: Biology and fertility of soils 2014-05, Vol.50 (4), p.695-702
• Main Authors: Prayogo, Cahyo, Jones, Julie E, Baeyens, Jan, Bending, Gary D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actinobacteria; Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Bacteria; biochar; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon; Carbon dioxide; Charcoal; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Community composition; Community structure; Decomposition; fatty acids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-negative bacteria; laboratory experimentation; Life Sciences; Litter; microbial biomass; microbial communities; Microbiology; Mineralization; Mineralogy; Nitrogen; Original Paper; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; soil; Soil amendment; soil amendments; Soil fertility; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; soil treatment
• ISSN: 0178-2762; 1432-0789
• DOI: 10.1007/s00374-013-0884-5

Using a laboratory experiment, we investigated the effect of applying willow biochar to short rotation coppice soil on C and N dynamics and microbial biomass and community composition, in the presence and absence of willow litter. Application of biochar at a rate of 0.5 % had no effect on net CO₂ mineralisation in the presence or absence of litter. However at a rate of 2 %, net CO₂ mineralisation was reduced by 10 and 20 % over a 90-day period in the absence and presence of litter respectively. Biochar reduced N mineralisation when applied at both 0.5 and 2 % concentrations. pH was increased by application of 2 % biochar to soil. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis demonstrated that both concentrations of biochar affected microbial community composition, although the effect of biochar was not as great as the effect of time or litter application in shaping community structure. In particular, the amount of bacterial biomass was increased by biochar application to soil, and there was evidence for increased abundance of Gram-negative bacteria and actinobacteria following biochar application. The data is discussed in the context of microbial mechanisms underlying impacts of biochar on C cycling in soil, and the coupling of C and N cycles following amendment of soil with biochar.