Negative priming of native soil organic carbon mineralization by oilseed biochars of contrasting quality

Oilseed‐derived biochar, a by‐product of pyrolysis for biodiesel production, is richer in aliphatic compounds than the commonly studied wood‐derived biochar, affecting both its mineralization in soil and its interaction with native soil organic carbon (nSOC). Here, we investigated the soil C sequestration potential of three different oilseed biochars derived from C₃ plant material: soyabean, castor bean and jatropha cake. The chemical composition of these biochars was determined by elemental analysis (CHN) and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The cumulative CO₂ efflux from 30‐day laboratory incubations of biochar mixed with a sandy soil containing nSOC from C₄ plants was measured as a proxy for mineralization rate. The relative contribution of each source to CO₂ production was calculated based on the ¹³C‐signatures of total CO₂ efflux and the source materials (soil and biochars). Our results showed that: (i) castor bean biochar contained relatively large amounts of aliphatic compounds, resulting in a greater mineralization rate than soyabean and jatropha biochars; (ii) CO₂ efflux from the soil‐biochar mixtures originated mostly from the biochars, suggesting that these biochars contain rapidly decomposable compounds; and (iii) all three oilseed biochars decelerated nSOC mineralization. This negative priming effect appeared to be caused by different factors. We conclude that oilseed biochars have the potential to increase soil C stocks directly and increase soil C sequestration indirectly in the short term through negative priming of nSOC mineralization.     

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.     

Short term soil priming effects and the mineralisation of biochar following its incorporation to soils of different pH

The aim of this work was to determine the magnitude of the priming effect, i.e. short-term changes in the rate (negative or positive) of mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (C), following addition of biochars. The biochars were made from Miscanthus giganteus, a C4 plant, naturally enriched with ¹³C. The biochars were produced at 350 °C (biochar350) and 700 °C (biochar700) and applied with and without ryegrass as a substrate to a clay-loam soil at pH 3.7 and 7.6. A secondary aim was to determine the effect of ryegrass addition on the mineralisation of the two biochars.After 87 days, biochar350 addition caused priming effects equivalent to 250 and 319 μg CO₂-C g⁻¹ soil, in the low and high pH soil, respectively. The largest priming effects occurred at the start of the incubations. The size of the priming effect was decreased at higher biochar pyrolysis temperatures, which may be a way of controlling priming effects following biochar incorporation to soil, if desired. The priming effect was probably induced by the water soluble components of the biochar. At 87 days of incubation, 0.14% and 0.18% of biochar700 and 0.61% and 0.84% of biochar350 were mineralized in the low and high pH soil, respectively. Ryegrass addition gave an increased biochar350 mineralisation of 33% and 40%, and increased biochar700 at 137% and 70%, in the low and high pH soils, respectively. Certainly, on the basis of our results, if biochar is used to sequester carbon a priming effect may occur, increasing CO₂-C evolved from soil and decreasing soil organic C. However, this will be more than compensated for by the increased soil C caused by biochar incorporation. A similar conclusion holds for accelerated mineralisation of biochar due to incorporation of fresh labile substrates. We consider that our results are the first to unequivocally demonstrate the initiation, progress and termination of a true positive priming effect by biochar on native soil organic C.     

Carbon mineralization in subtropical alluvial arable soils amended with sugarcane bagasse and rice husk biochars

Subtropical recent alluvial soils are low in organic carbon (C). Thus, increasing organic C is a major challenge to sustain soil fertility. Biochar amendment could be an option as biochar is a C-rich pyrolyzed material, which is slowly decomposed in soil. We investigated C mineralization (CO₂-C evolution) in two types of soils (recent and old alluvial soils) amended with two feedstocks (sugarcane bagasse and rice husk) (1%, weight/weight), as well as their biochars and aged biochars under a controlled environment (25 ±2 ℃) over 85 d. For the recent alluvial soil (charland soil), the highest absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution was observed in the sugarcane bagasse treatment (1 140 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) followed by the rice husk treatment (1 090 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil); the lowest amount (150 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was observed in the aged rice husk biochar treatment. Similarly, for the old alluvial soil (farmland soil), the highest absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution (1 290 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was observed in the sugarcane bagasse treatment and then in the rice husk treatment (1 270 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil); the lowest amount (200 mg CO₂-C kg^-1 soil) was in the aged rice husk biochar treatment. Aged sugarcane bagasse and rice husk biochar treatments reduced absolute cumulative CO₂-C evolution by 10% and 36%, respectively, compared with unamended recent alluvial soil, and by 10% and 18%, respectively, compared with unamended old alluvial soil. Both absolute and normalized C mineralization were similar between the sugarcane bagasse and rice husk treatments, between the biochar treatments, and between the aged biochar treatments. In both soils, the feedstock treatments resulted in the highest cumulative CO₂-C evolution, followed by the biochar treatments and then the aged biochar treatments. The absolute and normalized CO₂-C evolution and the mineralization rate constant of the stable C pool (K_s) were lower in the recent alluvial soil compared with those in the old alluvial soil. The biochars and aged biochars had a negative priming effect in both soils, but the effect was more prominent in the recent alluvial soil. These results would have good implications for improving organic matter content in organic C-poor alluvial soils.     

Effect of temperature on biochar priming effects and its stability in soils

Recent studies have shown both increased (positive priming) and decreased (negative priming) mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (SOC) with biochar addition. However, there is only limited understanding of biochar priming effects and its C mineralisation in contrasting soils at different temperatures, particularly over a longer period. To address this knowledge gap, two wood biochars (450 and 550 °C; δ¹³C −36.4‰) were incubated in four soils (Inceptisol, Entisol, Oxisol and Vertisol; δ¹³C −17.3 to −28.2‰) at 20, 40 and 60 °C in the laboratory. The proportions of biochar- and soil-derived CO₂–C were quantified using a two-pool C-isotopic model.Both biochars caused mainly positive priming of native SOC (up to +47 mg CO₂–C g⁻¹ SOC) in the Inceptisol and negative priming (up to −22 mg CO₂–C g⁻¹ SOC) in the other soils, which increased with increasing temperature from 20 to 40 °C. In general, positive or no priming occurred during the first few months, which remained positive in the Inceptisol, but shifted to negative priming with time in the other soils. The 550 °C biochar (cf. 450 °C) caused smaller positive priming in the Inceptisol or greater negative priming in the Entisol, Oxisol and Vertisol at 20 and 40 °C. At 60 °C, biochar caused positive priming of native SOC only in the first 6 months in the Inceptisol. Whereas, in the other soils, the native SOC mineralisation was increased (Entisol and Oxisol) and decreased (Vertisol) only after 6 months, relative to the control. At 20 °C, the mean residence time (MRT) of 450 °C and 550 °C biochars in the four soils ranged from 341 to 454 and 732−1061 years, respectively. At 40 and 60 °C, the MRT of both 450 °C biochar (25−134 years) and 550 °C biochar (93−451 years) decreased substantially across the four soils. Our results show that biochar causes positive priming in the clay-poor soil (Inceptisol) and negative priming in the clay-rich soils, particularly with biochar ageing at a higher incubation temperature (e.g. 40 °C) and for a high-temperature (550 °C) biochar. Furthermore, the 550 °C wood biochar has been shown to persist in soil over a century or more even at elevated temperatures (40 or 60 °C).     

秸秆及其生物炭对土壤碳库管理指数及有机碳矿化的影响

以河南省粮食主产区壤质潮土和砂土为研究对象,通过盆栽试验和室内恒温培养试验,研究了生物炭与不同腐殖化程度的传统有机物料(秸秆和腐熟鸡粪)单施及配施对壤质潮土和砂土有机碳储量、活性及碳库管理指数的影响,并进一步比较了小麦秸秆直接还田和制炭还田对土壤有机碳矿化的影响,以及生物炭对土壤原有有机碳矿化的调控作用。结果表明:相同添加量下,生物炭对土壤有机碳含量的提升效果优于秸秆和腐熟鸡粪,在壤质潮土和砂土上分别较对照提升了63.15%和115.62%。另外,生物炭显著增加了土壤稳态碳含量和土壤碳库指数(CPI),但降低了土壤碳素有效率(SC)和碳库活度指数(AI),对土壤易氧化有机碳(POXC)和碳库管理指数(CMPI)无显著影响,添加秸秆显著增加了2种土壤POXC含量、基础呼吸和CPMI。进一步通过室内恒温培养试验发现,秸秆可在培养前期(0～37天)大幅度提升2种类型土壤有机碳矿化速率和累积矿化量,秸秆制炭还田对土壤有机碳矿化无显著影响。此外生物炭对土壤原有有机碳矿化的调控作用受其施用量、外源活性有机碳输入和土壤类型的影响,高量生物炭(2%)对非秸秆还田土壤有机碳矿化表现出较强的负激发效应,而低量生物炭(0.55%)对秸秆还田土壤有机碳矿化表现出较明显的负激发效应。因此,从"固碳减排"角度考虑,秸秆制炭还田是更合理的利用方式,且应根据土壤施肥管理措施和土壤类型考虑生物炭的施用量,添加质量比为2%的生物炭可显著抑制土壤原有有机碳矿化,降低CO_2排放,但应避开秸秆快速腐解期施用。     

Biochar reduces the rhizosphere priming effect on soil organic carbon

Biochar has the potential to store carbon (C) in soils on a millennial time scale and hence it is proposed as a tool to aid in the mitigation of climate change. However, the presence of biochar in soil can induce either a positive or negative priming effect on native soil C, or the converse, which may either reduce or enhance the C storage potential of biochar. Thus far, priming effects between soil and biochar have been predominately assessed in the exclusion of plants. Therefore, this study set out with the aim to assess the priming effect of plants, i.e., rhizosphere priming effect (RPE) in the presence and absence of biochar and within different soil types. Three soils (Arenosol, Cambisol and Ferralsol) were used in full factorial combination with or without soybean plants and with or without 2% blue mallee biochar that was produced at 500 °C by slow pyrolysis. Plants were labelled with an isotopically depleted δ¹³C signature to that of the soil and biochar to allow the separation of plant-derived CO₂–C from the total CO₂–C. Carbon dioxide was trapped three times over a period of 13 days. Subsequent titration of the CO₂ trap samples followed by IRMS analysis was used to quantify the CO₂–C captured and its source. Biochar was found to have no effect on plant or microbial biomass. Plant treatments had significantly higher overall respiration rates than those without plants. Plants induced a negative priming in the Arenosol which was similar in the absence and presence of biochar. In the Cambisol, biochar induced a significant negative RPE in comparison to the positive RPE in the control. The RPE in the Ferralsol was positive and substantially decreased in the presence of biochar. Our results suggest that blue mallee biochar amendments may partially offset the positive RPE, or reduce it further where it is already negative.     

Priming effect of bamboo (Phyllostanchys edulis Carrière) biochar application in a soil amended with legume

Abstract

Biochar application to soils can mitigate carbon dioxide (CO₂) by increasing soil carbon (C) sink, but also causes increased CO₂ released from soils through priming effects of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, priming effects of biochar application on SOC are complex, showing inconsistent results, and further complicated when applied with other substrates such as organic amendment (OA). Incubation experiments were conducted using Typic Durudand with bamboo (Phyllostanchys edulis Carrière) biochar (400°C) and OA (crotalaria) applied individually, simultaneously or with biochar applied 5 weeks prior to OA application. After 56 d of incubation, cumulative CO₂ released from soils with no amendments (control), biochar only (BC), OA only (OA), simultaneous (BC+OA), and differently timed (BCP+OA) applications reached 313, 326, 1270, 1535 and 1311 mg CO₂ kg^?1, respectively. The OA application distinctly increased CO₂ released from the soils due to its decomposition. The OA decomposition rates were comparable with OA and BC+OA, while those with BCP+OA were lower than those with other treatments during early incubation. Net CO₂ (CO_{2-(treatment)} ? CO_2-control) from soils with BC, OA, BC+OA and BCP+OA yielded 13, 957, 1222 and 998 mg CO₂ kg^?1, respectively. Primed CO_2-BC of 13 mg CO₂ kg^?1 was equivalent to 4.2% of priming effect relative to CO_2-control. Primed CO_2-BC+OA [net CO_2-BC+OA ? (net CO_2-BC + net CO_2-OA)] and primed CO_2-BCP+OA were 252 and 28 mg CO₂ kg^?1, equivalent to 26% and 2.9% of priming effects relative to sum of net CO_2-BC + net CO_2-OA, respectively. The priming effect with BC was negligible likely because of limited amounts of biochar labile C to induce co-metabolism, while BC+OA showed a modest priming effect most likely as a result of co-metabolism induced by additional mineralization of presumably SOC and/or biochar, because the OA decomposition rates were not affected by biochar application. The priming effect with BCP+OA was comparable to that with BC likely due to changes in soil properties caused by biochar application prior to OA, likely from slowed decomposition rates of OA.     

The priming potential of biochar products in relation to labile carbon contents and soil organic matter status

Recognition of biochar as a potential tool for long-term carbon sequestration with additional agronomic benefits is growing. However, the functionality of biochar in soil and the response of soils to biochar inputs are poorly understood. It has been suggested, for example, that biochar additions to soils could prime for the loss of native organic carbon, undermining its sequestration potential. This work examines the priming potential of biochar in the context of its own labile fraction and procedures for their assessment. A systematic set of biochar samples produced from C4 plant biomass under a range of pyrolysis process conditions were incubated in a C3 soil at three discrete levels of organic matter status (a result of contrasting long-term land management on a single site). The biochar samples were characterised for labile carbon content ex-situ and then added to each soil. Priming potential was determined by a comparison of CO₂ flux rates and its isotopic analysis for attribution of source. The results conclusively showed that while carbon mineralisation was often higher in biochar amended soil, this was due to rapid utilisation of a small labile component of biochar and that biochar did not prime for the loss of native organic soil organic matter. Furthermore, in some cases negative priming occurred, with lower carbon mineralisation in biochar amended soil, probably as a result of the stabilisation of labile soil carbon.     

Application of mixed straw and biochar meets plant demand of carbon dioxide and increases soil carbon storage in sunken solar greenhouse vegetable production

Solar vegetable greenhouse soils show low soil organic carbon content and thus also low rates of soil respiration. Processing vegetable residues to biochar and mixing biochar with maize straw might improve soil respiration and increase soil organic carbon stocks, while preventing the spread of soil-borne diseases carried by vegetable residues. In an incubation experiment, we tested how additions of maize straw (S) and biochar (B) added in varying ratios (100S, 75S25B, 50S50B, 25S75B, 100B and 0S0B (control)) affect soil respiration and fraction of added C remaining in soil. Daily CO₂ emissions were measured over 60 days incubation, the natural abundance of ¹³C in soil and in the added biochar and maize straw were analysed. Our result shows that (a) soil CO₂ emissions were significantly increased compared to soil without the straw additions, while addition of biochar only decreased soil respiration; (b) cumulative CO₂ emissions decreased with increasing ratio of added biochar to maize straw; (c) the abundance of soil ¹³C was significant positively correlated with cumulative CO₂ emissions, and thus with the ratio of straw addition. Our results indicate that incorporation of maize straw in greenhouse soils is a meaningful measure to increase soil respiration and to facilitate greenhouse atmosphere CO₂ limitation while producing vegetables. On the other hand, additions of biochar from vegetable residues will increase soil organic carbon concentration. Therefore, the simultaneous application of maize straw and biochar obtained from vegetable residues is an effective option to maintain essential soil functions for vegetable production in sunken solar greenhouses.     

Interactions between biochar stability and soil organisms: review and research needs

The stability of biochar in soils is the cornerstone of the burgeoning worldwide interest in the potential of the pyrolysis/biochar platform for carbon (C) sequestration. While biochar is more recalcitrant in soil than the original organic feedstock, an increasing number of studies report greater C‐mineralization in soils amended with biochar than in unamended soils. Soil organisms are believed to play a central role in this process. In this review, the variety of interactions that occur between soil micro‐, meso‐ and macroorganisms and biochar stability are assessed. In addition, different factors reported to influence biochar stability, such as biochar physico‐chemical characteristics, soil type, soil organic carbon (SOC) content and agricultural management practices are evaluated. A meta‐analysis of data in the literature revealed that biochar‐C mineralization rates decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperature, biochar‐C content and time. Enhanced release of CO₂ after biochar addition to soil may result from (i) priming of native SOC pools, (ii) biodegradation of biochar components from direct or indirect stimulation of soil organisms by biochar or (iii) abiotic release of biochar‐C (from carbonates or chemi‐sorbed CO₂). Observed biphasic mineralization rates suggest rapid mineralization of labile biochar compounds by microorganisms, with stable aromatic components decomposed at a slower rate. Comparatively little information is available on the impact of soil fauna on biochar stability in soil, although they may decrease biochar particle size and enhance its dispersion in the soil. Elucidating the impacts of soil fauna directly and indirectly on biochar stability is a top research priority.     

Plant-biochar interactions drive the negative priming of soil organic carbon in an annual ryegrass field system

There is a knowledge gap on biochar carbon (C) longevity and its priming effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) and recent root-derived C under field conditions. This knowledge would allow the potential of biochar in long-term soil C sequestration to be established. However, most studies on biochar C longevity and its priming effect have been undertaken in plant-free laboratory incubations.A 388 d field study was carried out in the presence of an annual ryegrass (C₃) growing on a rhodic ferralsol with established C₃/C₄ plant-derived SOC (δ¹³C: −20.2‰) in a subtropical climate. A ¹³C-depleted hardwood biochar (δ¹³C: −35.7‰, produced at 450 °C) was applied at 0 and 30 dry t ha⁻¹ and mixed into the top 100-mm soil profile (equivalent to 3% w/w). We report on the differentiation and quantification of root respiration and mineralisation of soil-C and biochar-C in the field. Periodic ¹³CO₂ pulse labelling was applied to enrich δ¹³C of root respiration during two separate winter campaigns (δ¹³C: 151.5–184.6‰) and one summer campaign (δ¹³C: 19.8–31.5‰). Combined soil plus root respiration was separated from leaf respiration using a novel in-field respiration collar. A two-pool isotope mixing model was applied to partition three C sources (i.e. root, biochar and soil). Three scenarios were used to assess the sensitivity associated with the C source partitioning in the planted systems: 1) extreme positive priming of recent SOC derived from the current ryegrass (C₃) pasture; 2) equivalent magnitude of priming of SOC and labile root C; and 3) extreme positive priming of the native C4-dominant SOC.We showed that biochar induced a significant negative priming of SOC in the presence of growing plants but no net priming was observed in the unplanted soil. We also demonstrated the importance of experimental timeframe in capturing the transient nature of biochar-induced priming, from positive (day 0–62) to negative (day 62–388). The presence/absence of plants had no impact on biochar-C mineralisation in this ferralsol during the measurement period. Based on a two-pool exponential model, the mean residence time (MRT) of biochar varied from 351 to 449 years in the intensive pasture system to 415–484 years in the unplanted soils.     

Carbon sequestration in forest soils: effects of soil type, atmospheric CO2 enrichment, and N deposition

Soil contains the major part of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, but the response of this carbon to enriching the atmosphere in CO₂ and to increased N deposition is not completely understood. We studied the effects of CO₂ concentrations at 370 and 570 μmol CO₂ mol^?1 air and increased N deposition (7 against 0.7 g N m^?2 year^?1) on the dynamics of soil organic C in two types of forest soil in model ecosystems with spruce and beech established in large open‐top chambers containing an acidic loam and a calcareous sand. The added CO₂ was depleted in ¹³C and thus the net input of new C into soil organic carbon and the mineralization of native C could be quantified. Soil type was the greatest determining factor in carbon dynamics. After 4 years, the net input of new C in the acidic loam (670 ± 30 g C m^?2) exceeded that in the calcareous sand (340 ± 40 g C m^?2) although the soil produced less biomass. The mineralization of native organic C accounted for 700 ± 90 g C m^?2 in the acidic loam and for 2800 ± 170 g C m^?2 in the calcareous sand. Unfavourable conditions for mineralization and a greater physico‐chemical protection of C by clay and oxides in the acidic loam are probably the main reasons for these differences. The organic C content of the acidic loam was 230 g C m^?2 more under the large than under the small N treatment. As suggested by a negligible impact of N inputs on the fraction of new C in the acidic loam, this increase resulted mainly from a suppressed mineralization of native C. In the calcareous sand, N deposition did not influence C concentrations. The impacts of CO₂ enrichment on C concentrations were small. In the uppermost 10 cm of the acidic loam, larger CO₂ concentrations increased C contents by 50–170 g C m^?2. Below 10 cm depth in the acidic loam and at all soil depths in the calcareous sand, CO₂ concentrations had no significant impact on soil C concentrations. Up to 40% of the ‘new’ carbon of the acidic loam was found in the coarse sand fraction, which accounted for only 7% of the total soil volume. This suggests that a large part of the CO₂‐derived ‘new’ C was incorporated into the labile and easily mineralizable pool in the soil.     

Factors influencing the stability of labelled microbial materials in soils

The effect of freshly added substrate on carbon turnover of a microbial population and the priming action on stabilized soil organic constituents were investigated in the laboratory. ¹³C-labelled glucose. NH₄NO₃, or both were added to samples of a Brown Chernozemic soil which had been initially amended with ¹⁴C-glucose and incubated 2 months under field conditions. At the end of 14 days laboratory incubation. 39 per cent and 33 per cent of the ¹³C had been respired as CO₂ from the glucose and glucose plus NH₄NO₃ treatments, respectively. These two treatments resulted in a marked priming of native ¹²C during the second and third days of incubation and a second priming peak during the fifth day. In contrast, there was only a small priming action of the ¹⁴C-labelled materials. Addition of NH₄NO₃ by itself had no effect on the amount of ¹²C or ¹²C respired.Appreciable amounts of ¹⁴C were mineralized following treatments known to partially sterilize soil. Freezing and thawing was more effective than wetting and drying, but less effective than CHCl₃ vapour in releasing stabilized ¹⁴C materials. The amount of labelled-¹⁴C mineralized during incubation after treatment with chloroform vapour was greater than could he accounted for by the decrease in soil biomass.     

Microbial mineralization of biochar and wheat straw mixture in soil: A short-term study

A short-term incubation study was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar addition to soil on CO₂ emissions, microbial biomass, soil soluble carbon (C) nitrogen (N) and nitrate–nitrogen (NO₃–N). Four soil treatments were investigated: soil only (control); soil + 5% biochar; soil + 0.5% wheat straw; soil + 5% biochar + 0.5% wheat straw. The biochar used was obtained from hardwood by pyrolysis at 500 °C. Periodic measurements of soil respiration, microbial biomass, soluble organic C, N and NO₃–N were performed throughout the experiment (84 days). Only 2.8% of the added biochar C was respired, whereas 56% of the added wheat straw C was decomposed. Total net CO₂ emitted by soil respiration suggested that wheat straw had no priming effect on biochar C decomposition. Moreover, wheat straw significantly increased microbial C and N and at the same time decreased soluble organic N. On the other hand, biochar did not influence microbial biomass nor soluble organic N. Thus it is possible to conclude that biochar was a very stable C source and could be an efficient, long-term strategy to sequester C in soils. Moreover, the addition of crop residues together with biochar could actively reduce the soil N leaching potential by means of N immobilization.     

Effects of biochar application on greenhouse gas emissions,carbon sequestration and crop growth in coastal saline soil

To evaluate the benefits of application of biochar to coastal saline soil for climate change mitigation, the effects on soil organic carbon (SOC), greenhouse gases (GHGs) and crop yields were investigated. Biochar was applied at 16 t ha^?1 to study its effects on crop growth (Experiment I). The effects of biochar (0, 3.2, 16 and 32 t ha^?1) and corn stalk (7.8 t ha^?1) on SOC and GHGs were studied using ¹³C stable isotope technology and a static chamber method, respectively (Experiment II). Biochar increased grain mass per plant of the wheat by 27.7% and increased SOC without influencing non‐biochar SOC. On average, 92.3% of the biochar carbon and 16.8% of corn‐stalk carbon were sequestered into the soil within 1 year. The cumulative emissions of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O were not affected significantly by biochar but cornstalk application increased N₂O emissions by 17.5%. The global warming mitigation potential of the biochar treatments (?3.84 to ?3.17 t CO₂‐eq. ha^?1 t^?1 C) was greater than that of the corn stalk treatment (?0.11 t CO₂‐eq ha^?1 t^?1 C). These results suggest that biochar application improves saline soil productivity and soil carbon sequestration without increasing GHG emissions.     

Effects of biochar,earthworms, and litter addition on soil microbial activity and abundance in a temperate agricultural soil

Biochar application to arable soils could be effective for soil C sequestration and mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Soil microorganisms and fauna are the major contributors to GHG emissions from soil, but their interactions with biochar are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of biochar and its interaction with earthworms on soil microbial activity, abundance, and community composition in an incubation experiment with an arable soil with and without N-rich litter addition. After 37 days of incubation, biochar significantly reduced CO₂ (up to 43 %) and N₂O (up to 42 %), as well as NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^?-N concentrations, compared to the control soils. Concurrently, in the treatments with litter, biochar increased microbial biomass and the soil microbial community composition shifted to higher fungal-to-bacterial ratios. Without litter, all microbial groups were positively affected by biochar × earthworm interactions suggesting better living conditions for soil microorganisms in biochar-containing cast aggregates after the earthworm gut passage. However, assimilation of biochar-C by earthworms was negligible, indicating no direct benefit for the earthworms from biochar uptake. Biochar strongly reduced the metabolic quotient qCO₂ and suppressed the degradation of native SOC, resulting in large negative priming effects (up to 68 %). We conclude that the biochar amendment altered microbial activity, abundance, and community composition, inducing a more efficient microbial community with reduced emissions of CO₂ and N₂O. Earthworms affected soil microorganisms only in the presence of biochar, highlighting the need for further research on the interactions of biochar with soil fauna.     

Soil priming effects following substrates addition to biochar-treated soils after 431 days of pre-incubation

Biochar has been widely proposed to be valuable in the sequestering of carbon (C) in soil due to its chemical and biological recalcitrance. However, whether biochar could cause soil positive priming effects (PEs), which offset the effects of soil organic C sequestration, has raised a very controversial issue and debate recently. Changed soil properties, like microbial community composition, caused by biochar addition, might induce different primed CO₂ following substrate addition, compared to soil which never received biochar. However, this remains largely unknown. This study aimed to understand the substrate-induced PEs in biochar-amended soil and the microbial mechanisms involved. Using ¹³C analysis, a further 28 days of laboratory incubation was conducted after incorporation of biochar for 431 days of pre-incubation to investigate primed soil CO₂ emissions induced by the addition of sucrose and Miscanthus giganteus (Miscanthus), in both biochar free soil (L1) and biochar (produced at 350 and 700 °C)-amended soils (L2 and L3). Biochar-amended soils had larger substrate-induced PEs. Larger primed soil C losses (311 μg CO₂-C g^?1 soil) were observed following Miscanthus feedstock addition in BC700-amended soil (L3 + Miscanthus), compared to soil without BC700 (193 μg CO₂-C g^?1 soil) (L3). The changes in soil microbial community composition, indicated by PCA analysis of PLFAs, especially actinomycetes and Gramme-negative bacteria, might be responsible for the larger substrate (Miscanthus and sucrose)-induced PEs observed in biochar-amended soils after 431 days compared to biochar-free soils.     

Positive and negative carbon mineralization priming effects among a variety of biochar-amended soils

Pyrogenic carbon (biochar) amendment is increasingly discussed as a method to increase soil fertility while sequestering atmospheric carbon (C). However, both increased and decreased C mineralization has been observed following biochar additions to soils. In an effort to better understand the interaction of pyrogenic C and soil organic matter (OM), a range of Florida soils were incubated with a range of laboratory-produced biochars and CO₂ evolution was measured over more than one year. More C was released from biochar-amended than from non-amended soils and cumulative mineralized C generally increased with decreasing biomass combustion temperature and from hardwood to grass biochars, similar to the pattern of biochar lability previously determined from separate incubations of biochar alone.The interactive effects of biochar addition to soil on CO₂ evolution (priming) were evaluated by comparing the additive CO₂ release expected from separate incubations of soil and biochar with that actually measured from corresponding biochar and soil mixtures. Priming direction (positive or negative for C mineralization stimulation or suppression, respectively) and magnitude varied with soil and biochar type, ranging from −52 to 89% at the end of 1 year. In general, C mineralization was greater than expected (positive priming) for soils combined with biochars produced at low temperatures (250 and 400 °C) and from grasses, particularly during the early incubation stage (first 90 d) and in soils of lower organic C content. It contrast, C mineralization was generally less than expected (negative priming) for soils combined with biochars produced at high temperatures (525 and 650 °C) and from hard woods, particularly during the later incubation stage (250-500 d). Measurements of the stable isotopic signature of respired CO₂ indicated that, for grass biochars at least, it was predominantly pyrogenic C mineralization that was stimulated during early incubation and soil C mineralization that was suppressed during later incubation stages. It is hypothesized that the presence of soil OM stimulated the co-mineralization of the more labile components of biochar over the short term. The data strongly suggests, however, that over the long term, biochar-soil interaction will enhance soil C storage via the processes of OM sorption to biochar and physical protection.     

The effect of young biochar on soil respiration

The low temperature pyrolysis of organic material produces biochar, a charcoal like substance. Biochar is being promoted as a soil amendment to enhance soil quality, it is also seen as a mechanism of long-term sequestration of carbon. Our experiments tested the hypothesis that biochar is inert in soil. However, we measured an increase in CO₂ production from soils after biochar amendment which increased with increasing rates of biochar. The ∂¹³C signature of the CO₂ evolved in the first several days of the incubation was the same as the ∂¹³C signature of the biochar, confirming that biochar contributed to the CO₂ flux. This effect diminished by day 6 of the incubation suggesting that most of the biochar C is slowly decomposing. Thus, aside from this short-term mineralization increasing soil C with young biochar may indeed be a long-term C storage mechanism.