Organic carbon and nutrient release from a range of laboratory-produced biochars and biochar–soil mixtures
TL;DR: In this article, a variety of new and aged biochars, pure and mixed with soils, were examined using batch extraction and column leaching, and the results showed that biochar contain a range of nutrient forms with different release rates, explaining biochar's variable effect on soil fertility with soil type.
About: This article is published in Geoderma.The article was published on 2013-02-01. It has received 456 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Biochar & Leaching (agriculture).
Citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, a meta-analysis using published literature from 2007 to 2013 showed that biochar reduced soil N2O emissions by 54% in laboratory and field studies and that the biochar feedstock, pyrolysis conditions and C/N ratio were key factors influencing emissions.
754 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the fate of BC applied to a savanna Oxisol in Colombia at rates of 0, 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha -1, as well as its effect on non-BC soil organic C.
Abstract: Black carbon (BC) is an important pool of the global C cycle, because it cycles much more slowly than others and may even be managed for C sequestration. Using stable isotope techniques, we investigated the fate of BC applied to a savanna Oxisol in Colombia at rates of 0, 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha -1 , as well as its effect on non-BC soil organic C. During the rainy seasons of 2005 and 2006, soil respiration was measured using soda lime traps, particulate and dissolved organic C (POC and DOC) moving by saturated flow was sampled continuously at 0.15 and 0.3 m, and soil was sampled to 2.0 m. Black C was found below the application depth of 0-0.1 m in the 0.15-0.3 m depth interval, with migration rates of 52.4 ± 14.5, 51.8 ± 18.5 and 378.7 ± 196.9 kg C ha -1 yr -1 (± SE) where 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha -1 , respectively, had been applied. Over 2 years after application, 2.2% of BC applied at 23.2 t BCha -1 was lost by respiration, and an even smaller fraction of 1% was mobilized by percolating water. Carbon from BC moved to a greater extent as DOC than POC. The largest flux of BC from the field (20-53% of applied BC) was not accounted for by our measurements and is assumed to have occurred by surface runoff during intense rain events. Black C caused a 189% increase in aboveground biomass production measured 5 months after application (2.4-4.5 additional dry biomass ha -1 where BC was applied), and this resulted in greater amounts of non-BC being respired, leached and found in soil for the duration of the experiment. These increases can be quantitatively explained by estimates of greater belowground net primary productivity with BC addition.
622 citations
TL;DR: The main properties of biochar are the following: high surface area with many functional groups, high nutrient content, and slow-release fertilizer as discussed by the authors, which can be used to improve soil fertility.
Abstract: Soil mineral depletion is a major issue due mainly to soil erosion and nutrient leaching. The addition of biochar is a solution because biochar has been shown to improve soil fertility, to promote plant growth, to increase crop yield, and to reduce contaminations. We review here biochar potential to improve soil fertility. The main properties of biochar are the following: high surface area with many functional groups, high nutrient content, and slow-release fertilizer. We discuss the influence of feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, pH, application rates, and soil types. We review the mechanisms ruling the adsorption of nutrients by biochar.
603 citations
Cites background from "Organic carbon and nutrient release..."
...Similarly, fresh biochar had potential of nutrient availability and could release large amounts of N (23– 635 mg kg) and P (46–1664 mg kg) (Mukherjee and Zimmerman 2013; Zheng et al. 2013)....
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...Similarly, fresh biochar had potential of nutrient availability and could release large amounts of N (23– 635 mg kg−1) and P (46–1664 mg kg−1) (Mukherjee and Zimmerman 2013; Zheng et al. 2013)....
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TL;DR: This review links microbial responses, including microbial activity, community structures and soil enzyme activities, with changes in soil properties caused by biochars, and summarized possible mechanisms that are involved in the effects that biochar-microbe interactions have on soil carbon sequestration and pollution remediation.
551 citations
Cites background from "Organic carbon and nutrient release..."
...The nutrients from biochar can be released with different rates into soils (Mukherjee and Zimmerman, 2013)....
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...(Table S1) (Chen et al., 2008a; Jeong et al., 2016; Mukherjee and Zimmerman, 2013; Yuan et al., 2011)....
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TL;DR: In this article, a selection of organic wastes with different characteristics (e.g., rice husk (RH), rice straw (RS), wood chips of apple tree (Malus pumila) (AB), and oak tree (Quercus serrata) (OB)) were pyrolyzed at different temperatures (400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 °C) in order to optimize the physicochemical properties of biochar as a soil amendment.
Abstract: . Biochar is widely recognized as an efficient tool for carbon sequestration and soil fertility. The understanding of its chemical and physical properties, which are strongly related to the type of the initial material used and pyrolysis conditions, is crucial to identify the most suitable application of biochar in soil. A selection of organic wastes with different characteristics (e.g., rice husk (RH), rice straw (RS), wood chips of apple tree (Malus pumila) (AB), and oak tree (Quercus serrata) (OB)) were pyrolyzed at different temperatures (400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 °C) in order to optimize the physicochemical properties of biochar as a soil amendment. Low-temperature pyrolysis produced high biochar yields; in contrast, high-temperature pyrolysis led to biochars with a high C content, large surface area, and high adsorption characteristics. Biochar obtained at 600 °C leads to a high recalcitrant character, whereas that obtained at 400 °C retains volatile and easily labile compounds. The biochar obtained from rice materials (RH and RS) showed a high yield and unique chemical properties because of the incorporation of silica elements into its chemical structure. The biochar obtained from wood materials (AB and OB) showed high carbon content and a high absorption character.
543 citations
Cites background from "Organic carbon and nutrient release..."
...Rice plants are rich in Si, which is strongly related to the ash content of the biochar (Mukome et al., 2013)....
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References
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TL;DR: A review of the literature reveals a significant number of early studies on biochar-type materials as soil amendments either for managing pathogens, as inoculant carriers or for manipulative experiments to sorb signaling compounds or toxins as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Soil amendment with biochar is evaluated globally as a means to improve soil fertility and to mitigate climate change. However, the effects of biochar on soil biota have received much less attention than its effects on soil chemical properties. A review of the literature reveals a significant number of early studies on biochar-type materials as soil amendments either for managing pathogens, as inoculant carriers or for manipulative experiments to sorb signaling compounds or toxins. However, no studies exist in the soil biologyliterature that recognize the observed largevariations ofbiochar physico-chemical properties. This shortcoming has hampered insight into mechanisms by which biochar influences soil microorganisms, fauna and plant roots. Additional factors limiting meaningful interpretation of many datasets are the clearly demonstrated sorption properties that interfere with standard extraction procedures for soil microbial biomass or enzyme assays, and the confounding effects of varying amounts of minerals. In most studies, microbial biomass has been found to increase as a result of biochar additions, with significant changes in microbial community composition and enzyme activities that may explain biogeochemical effects of biochar on element cycles, plant pathogens, and crop growth. Yet, very little is known about the mechanisms through which biochar affects microbial abundance and community composition. The effects of biochar on soil fauna are even less understood than its effects on microorganisms, apart from several notable studies on earthworms. It is clear, however, that sorption phenomena, pH and physical properties of biochars such as pore structure, surface area and mineral matter play important roles in determining how different biochars affect soil biota. Observations on microbial dynamics lead to the conclusion of a possible improved resource use due to co-location of various resources in and around biochars. Sorption and therebyinactivation of growth-inhibiting substances likelyplaysa rolefor increased abundance of soil biota. No evidence exists so far for direct negative effects of biochars on plant roots. Occasionally observed decreases in abundance of mycorrhizal fungi are likely caused by concomitant increases in nutrient availability,reducing theneedfor symbionts.Inthe shortterm,therelease ofavarietyoforganic molecules from fresh biochar may in some cases be responsible for increases or decreases in abundance and activity of soil biota. A road map for future biochar research must include a systematic appreciation of different biochar-types and basic manipulative experiments that unambiguously identify the interactions between biochar and soil biota.
3,612 citations
"Organic carbon and nutrient release..." refers background in this paper
...Biochar's positive effects on the soil ecosystem, including both plants and microbes, have been proposed to derive either directly from nutrients within biochar itself, or indirectly from its ability to sorb and retain nutrients (Hammes and Schmidt, 2009; Lehmann et al., 2011)....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the source of the higher surface charge of BC compared with non-BC by mapping crosssectional areas of BC particles with diameters of 10 to 50 mm for C forms.
Abstract: Black Carbon (BC) may significantly affect nutrient retention and play a key role in a wide range of biogeochemical processes in soils, especially for nutrient cycling. Anthrosols from the Brazilian Amazon (ages between 600 and 8700 yr BP) with high contents of biomassderived BC had greater potential cation exchange capacity (CEC measured at pH 7) per unit organic C than adjacent soils with low BC contents.Synchrotron-based near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy coupled with scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) techniques explained the source of the higher surface charge of BC compared with non-BC by mapping crosssectional areas of BC particles with diameters of 10 to 50 mm for C forms. The largest cross-sectional areas consisted of highly aromatic or only slightly oxidized organic C most likely originating from the BC itself with a characteristic peak at 286.1 eV, which could not be found in humic substance extracts, bacteria or fungi. Oxidation significantly increased from the core of BC particles to their surfaces as shown by the ratio of carboxyl-C/aromatic-C. Spotted and non-continuous distribution patterns of highly oxidized C functional groups with distinctly different chemical signatures on BC particle surfaces (peak shift at 286.1 eV to a higher energy of 286.7 eV) indicated that non-BC may be adsorbed on the surfaces of BC particles creating highly oxidized surface. As a consequence of both oxidation of the BC particles themselves and adsorption of organic matter to BC surfaces, the charge density (potential CEC per unit surface area) was greater in BC-rich Anthrosols than adjacent soils. Additionally, a high specific surface area was attributable to the presence of BC, which may contribute to the high CEC found in soils that are rich in BC.
1,932 citations
"Organic carbon and nutrient release..." refers background in this paper
...The physical properties of some biochars, such as high surface area, porosity and ion exchange capacity, are also likely related to its ability to sorb, and possibly slowly released, OM or nutrients (Liang et al., 2006)....
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...These results do not account, however, for possible changes in microbial activity or oxidation on biochar's surface (Liang et al., 2006; Singh et al., 2010a) which may occur with aging....
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TL;DR: In this paper, acid ammonium oxalate extracts and in dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate extracts of a wide range of Canadian soils, several oxide and silicate minerals, and some amorphous preparations of iron or aluminum and silica.
Abstract: Iron and aluminum were determined in acid ammonium oxalate extracts and in dithionite–citrate–bicarbonate extracts of a wide range of Canadian soils, several oxide and silicate minerals, and some amorphous preparations of iron or aluminum and silica. The oxalate extraction dissolved much of the iron and aluminum from the amorphous materials but very little from crystalline oxides, whereas the dithionite extraction dissolved a large proportion of the crystalline iron oxides as well as much of the amorphous materials. Oxalate-extractable iron and aluminum gave a useful indication of Bf horizon development in many soils, even if the parent materials were high in iron oxides. In one class of Gleysolic soils, however, the Bfg horizons were high in dithionite-extractable iron and low in oxalate-extractable iron. An accumulation of goethite was found in the Bfg horizon of some of these soils. In some other Gleysolic soils iron was depleted in the A horizon but there was no horizon of iron accumulation. Extractio...
1,875 citations
"Organic carbon and nutrient release..." refers methods in this paper
...Biochar and soil samples were also analyzed for total P and Fe following method AOAC 985.01 (dry ashing 4 h at 500 °C then acid digestion using both HCl and nitric acid) and amorphous Fe and Al extraction from soils using an ammonium oxalate extraction following McKeague and Day (1966)....
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TL;DR: In this article, a pot trial was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar produced from greenwaste by pyrolysis on the yield of radish and the soil quality of an Alfisol.
Abstract: A pot trial was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar produced from greenwaste by pyrolysis on the yield of radish (Raphanus sativus var. Long Scarlet) and the soil quality of an Alfisol. Three rates of biochar (10, 50 and 100 t/ha) with and without additional nitrogen application (100 kg N/ha) were investigated. The soil used in the pot trial was a hardsetting Alfisol (Chromosol) (0–0.1 m) with a long history of cropping. In the absence of N fertiliser, application of biochar to the soil did not increase radish yield even at the highest rate of 100 t/ha. However, a significant biochar × nitrogen fertiliser interaction was observed, in that higher yield increases were observed with increasing rates of biochar application in the presence of N fertiliser, highlighting the role of biochar in improving N fertiliser use efficiency of the plant. For example, additional increase in DM of radish in the presence of N fertiliser varied from 95% in the nil biochar control to 266% in the 100 t/ha biochar-amended soils. A slight but significant reduction in dry matter production of radish was observed when biochar was applied at 10 t/ha but the cause is unclear and requires further investigation. Significant changes in soil quality including increases in pH, organic carbon, and exchangeable cations as well as reduction in tensile strength were observed at higher rates of biochar application (>50 t/ha). Particularly interesting are the improvements in soil physical properties of this hardsetting soil in terms of reduction in tensile strength and increases in field capacity.
1,682 citations
"Organic carbon and nutrient release..." refers background in this paper
...It is also known that biochar increases water retention and aeration of soils (Chan et al., 2007)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors hypothesized that biochar additions to agricultural soils in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain region have meager soil fertility characteristics because of their sandy textures, acidic pH values, kaolinitic clays, low cation exchange capacities, and diminutive soil organic carbon contents.
Abstract: Agricultural soils in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain region have meager soil fertility characteristics because of their sandy textures, acidic pH values, kaolinitic clays, low cation exchange capacities, and diminutive soil organic carbon contents. We hypothesized that biochar additions
1,134 citations
"Organic carbon and nutrient release..." refers background in this paper
...Ca, Mn and Zn, relative to a control soil with no biochar (Novak et al., 2009)....
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...For example, the column leachate of a Norfolk loamy soil amended with a pecan shell biochar made at 700 °C temperature contained greater K andNa, but less P (by about 35%) Ca, Mn and Zn, relative to a control soil with no biochar (Novak et al., 2009)....
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