Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of biochar and polyacrylamide on decomposition of soil organic matter and 14C-labeled alfalfa residues

  • Biochar for a Sustainable Environment
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Various soil conditioners, such as biochar (BC) and anionic polyacrylamide (PAM), improve soil fertility and susceptibility to erosion, and may alter microbial accessibility and decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) and plant residues. To date, no attempts have been made to study the effects of BC in combination with PAM on the decomposition of soil SOM and plant residues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of BC, PAM, and their combination on the decomposition of SOM and alfalfa residues.

Materials and methods

An 80-day incubation experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of oak wood biochar (BC; 10 Mg ha−1), PAM (80 kg ha−1), and their combination (BC + PAM) on decomposition of SOM and 14C-labeled alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) residues by measuring CO2 efflux, microbial biomass, and specific respiration activity.

Results and discussion

No conditioner exerted a significant effect on SOM decomposition over the 80 days of incubation. PAM increased cumulative CO2 efflux at 55–80 days of incubation on average of 6.7 % compared to the soil with plant residue. This was confirmed by the increased MBN and MB14C at 80 days of incubation in PAM-treated soil with plant residue compared to the control. In contrast, BC and BC + PAM decreased plant residue decomposition compared to that in PAM-treated soil and the respective control soil during the 80 days. BC and BC + PAM decreased MBC in soil at 2 days of incubation indicated that BC suppressed soil microorganisms and, therefore, decreased the decomposition of plant residue.

Conclusions

The addition of oak wood BC alone or in combination with PAM to soil decreased the decomposition of plant residue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdelmagid HM, Tabatabai MA (1982) Decomposition of acrylamide in soils. J Environ Qual 11:701–704

  • Abiven S, Menasseri S, Angers DA, Leterme P (2008) A model to predict soil aggregate stability dynamics following organic residue incorporation under field conditions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 72:119–125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aerts R (1997) Climate, leaf litter chemistry and leaf litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems: a triangular relationship. Oikos 79:439–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad M, Lee SS, Yang JE, Ro H-M, Lee YH, Ok YS (2012) Effects of soil dilution and amendments (mussel shell, cow bone, and biochar) on Pb availability and phytotoxicity in military shooting range soil. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 79:225–231

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad M, Rajapaksha AU, Lim JE, Zhang M, Bolan N, Mohan D, Vithanage M, Lee SS, Ok YS (2014) Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review. Chemosphere 99:19–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ameloot N, Graber ER, Verheijen FG, De Neve S (2013) Interactions between biochar stability and soil organisms: review and research needs. Eur J Soil Sci 64:379–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atul-Nayyar A, Hamel C, Hanson K, Germida J (2009) The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis links N mineralization to plant demand. Mycorrhiza 19:239–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Awad YM, Blagodatskaya E, Ok YS, Kuzyakov Y (2012) Effects of polyacrylamide, biopolymer, and biochar on decomposition of soil organic matter and plant residues as determined by 14C and enzyme activities. Eur J Soil Biol 48:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Awad Y, Blagodatskaya E, Ok Y, Kuzyakov Y (2013) Effects of polyacrylamide, biopolymer and biochar on the decomposition of 14C‐labelled maize residues and on their stabilization in soil aggregates. Eur J Soil Sci 64:488–499

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bandara T, Herath I, Kumarathilaka P, Seneviratne M, Seneviratne G, Rajakaruna N, Vithanage M, Ok YS (2015) Role of woody biochar and fungal-bacterial co-inoculation on enzyme activity and metal immobilization in serpentine soil. J Soils Sediments. doi:10.1007/s11368-015-1243-y

    Google Scholar 

  • Blagodatskaya E, Blagodatsky S, Anderson TH, Kuzyakov Y (2009) Contrasting effects of glucose, living roots and maize straw on microbial growth kinetics and substrate availability in soil. Eur J Soil Sci 60:186–197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blagodatskaya E, Yuyukina T, Blagodatsky S, Kuzyakov Y (2011) Three-source-partitioning of microbial biomass and of CO2 efflux from soil to evaluate mechanisms of priming effects. Soil Biol Biochem 43:778–786

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brodowski S, John B, Flessa H, Amelung W (2006) Aggregate‐occluded black carbon in soil. Eur J Soil Sci 57:539–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC, Landman A, Pruden G, Jenkinson D (1985) Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: a rapid direct extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen in soil. Soil Biol Biochem 17:837–842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caesar-TonThat T, Busscher W, Novak J, Gaskin J, Kim Y (2008) Effects of polyacrylamide and organic matter on microbes associated to soil aggregation of Norfolk loamy sand. Appl Soil Ecol 40:240–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Fan M, Billen N, Stahr K, Kuzyakov Y (2009) Effect of land use types on decomposition of 14C-labelled maize residue (Zea mays L.). Eur J Soil Biol 45:123–130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dilly O, Munch JC (2004) Litter decomposition and microbial characteristics in agricultural soil in Northern, Central, and Southern Germany. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 50:843–853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Entry JA, Sojka RE, Hicks BJ (2008) Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios can estimate anionic polyacrylamide degradation in soil. Geoderma 145:8–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fontaine S, Mariotti A, Abbadie L (2003) The priming effect of organic matter: a question of microbial competition? Soil Biol Biochem 35:837–843

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu S, Coleman DC, Schartz R, Potter R, Hendrix PF, Crossley D (2000) 14C distribution in soil organisms and respiration after the decomposition of crop residue in conventional tillage and no-till agroecosystems at Georgia Piedimont. Soil Tillage Res 57:31–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser B, Lehmann J, Zech W (2002) Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal—a review. Biol Fert Soils 35:219–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gocke M, Pustovoytov K, Kuzyakov Y (2011) Carbonate recrystallization in root-free soil and rhizosphere of Triticum aestivum and Lolium perenne estimated by 14C labeling. Biogeochem 103:209–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths B, Ritz K, Ebblewhite N, Dobson G (1998) Soil microbial community structure: effects of substrate loading rates. Soil Biol Biochem 31:145–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guzman JG, Al-Kaisi M (2010) Landscape position and age of reconstructed prairies effect on soil organic carbon sequestration rate and aggregate associated carbon. J Soil Water Conserv 65:9–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamer U, Marschner B (2005) Priming effects in different soil types induced by fructose, alanine, oxalic acid and catechol additions. Soil Biol Biochem 37:445–454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hilscher A, Heister K, Siewert C, Knicker H (2009) Mineralisation and structural changes during the initial phase of microbial degradation of pyrogenic plant residues in soil. Org Geochem 40:332–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jien SH, Wang CS (2013) Effects of biochar on soil properties and erosion potential in a highly weathered soil. Catena 110:225–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones D, Murphy D, Khalid M, Ahmad W, Edwards-Jones G, DeLuca T (2011) Short-term biochar-induced increase in soil CO2 release is both biotically and abiotically mediated. Soil Biol Biochem 43:1723–1731

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kasozi GN, Zimmerman AR, Nkedi-Kizza P, Gao B (2010) Catechol and humic acid sorption onto a range of laboratory-produced black carbons (biochars). Environ Sci Technol 44:6189–6195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katsalirou E, Deng S, Nofziger DL, Gerakis A (2010) Long-term management effects on organic C and N pools and activities of C-transforming enzymes in prairie soils. Eur J Soil Biol 46:335–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kay-Shoemake JL, Watwood ME, Lentz RD, Sojka RE (1998) Polyacrylamide as an organic nitrogen source for soil microorganisms with potential effects on inorganic soil nitrogen in agricultural soil. Soil Biol Biochem 30:1045–1052

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y (2006) Sources of CO2 efflux from soil and review of partitioning methods. Soil Biol Biochem 38:425–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Cheng W (2004) Photosynthesis controls of CO2 efflux from maize rhizosphere. Plant Soil 263:85–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Subbotina I, Chen H, Bogomolova I, Xu X (2009) Black carbon decomposition and incorporation into soil microbial biomass estimated by 14C labeling. Soil Biol Biochem 41:210–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Bogomolova I, Glaser B (2014) Biochar stability in soil: decomposition during eight years and transformation as assessed by compound-specific 14C analysis. Soil Biol Biochem 70:229–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langer U, Rinklebe J (2011) Priming effect after glucose amendment in two different soils evaluated by SIR-and PLFA-technique. Ecol Eng 37:465–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee SB, Lee CH, Jung KY, Do Park K, Lee D, Kim PJ (2009) Changes of soil organic carbon and its fractions in relation to soil physical properties in a long-term fertilized paddy. Soil Till Res 104:227–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee S, Gantzer C, Thompson A, Anderson S (2010) Polyacrylamide and gypsum amendments for erosion and runoff control on two soil series. J Soil Water Conserv 65:233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee SS, Shah HS, Awad YM, Kumar S, Ok YS (2015) Synergy effects of biochar and polyacrylamide on plants growth and soil erosion control. Environ Earth Sci 74:2463–2473

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann J, Gaunt J, Rondon M (2006) Bio-char sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems—a review. Mitig Adapt Strateg Global Change 11:395–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann J, Rillig MC, Thies J, Masiello CA, Hockaday WC, Crowley D (2011) Biochar effects on soil biota—a review. Soil Biol Biochem 43:1812–1836

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann J, Kuzyakov Y, Pan G, Ok YS (2015) Biochars and the plant-soil interface. Plant Soil 395:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leita L, De Nobili M, Muhlbachova G, Mondini C, Marchiol L, Zerbi G (1995) Bioavailability and effects of heavy metals on soil microbial biomass survival during laboratory incubation. Biol Fert Soils 19:103–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levy GJ, Miller WP (1999) Polyacrylamide adsorption and aggregate stability. Soil Till Res 51:121–128

  • Liang B, Lehmann J, Sohi SP, Thies JE, O’Neill B, Trujillo L, Gaunt J, Solomon D, Grossman J, Neves EG, Luizão FJ (2010) Black carbon affects the cycling of non-black carbon in soil. Org Geochem 41:206–213

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu C, Wang H, Tang X, Guan Z, Reid BJ, Rajapaksha AU, Ok YS, Hui S (2016) Biochar increased water holding capacity but accelerated organic carbon leaching from a sloping farmland soil in China. Environ Sci Pollu Res 23:995–1006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu W, Zhang H (2015) Response of biochar induced carbon mineralization priming effects to additional nitrogen in a sandy loam soil. Appl Soil Ecol 96:165–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Majumder B, Kuzyakov Y (2010) Effect of fertilization on decomposition of 14C labelled plant residues and their incorporation into soil aggregates. Soil Till Res 109:94–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mamedov A, Beckmann S, Huang C, Levy G (2007) Aggregate stability as affected by polyacrylamide molecular weight, soil texture, and water quality. Soil Sci Soc Am J 71:1909–1918

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mikha MM, Rice CW (2004) Tillage and manure effects on soil and aggregate-associated carbon and nitrogen. Soil Sci Soc Am J 68:809–816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nagle GN (2002) The contribution of agricultural erosion to reservoir sedimentation in the Dominican Republic. Water Policy 3:491–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neale S, Shah Z, Adams W (1997) Changes in microbial biomass and nitrogen turnover in acidic organic soils following liming. Soil Biol Biochem 29:1463–1474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Novak J, Ro K, Ok YS, Sigua G, Spokas K, Uchimiya S, Bolan N (2016) Biochars multifunctional role as a novel technology in the agricultural, environmental, and industrial sectors. Chemosphere 142:1–3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ok YS, Chang SX, Gao B, Chung H-J (2015) SMART biochar technology—a shifting paradigm towards advanced materials and healthcare research. Environ Technol Innovation 4:206–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panagos P, Borrelli P, Meusburger K, Alewell C, Lugato E, Montanarella L (2015) Estimating the soil erosion cover-management factor at the European scale. Land Use Policy 48:38–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rinklebe J, Shaheen SM, Frohne T (2016) Amendment of biochar reduces the release of toxic elements under dynamic redox conditions in a contaminated floodplain soil. Chemosphere 142:41–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santhi C, Srinivasan R, Arnold JG, Williams JR (2006) A modeling approach to evaluate the impacts of water quality management plans implemented in a watershed in Texas. Environ Modell Software 21(8):1141–1157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2004) SAS/STAT User’s Guide, Release 9.1. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldrick BH, Wang C (1993) Particle size distribution. In: Carter MR (ed) Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Can Soc Soil Sci. Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, pp 499–511

  • Sojka R, Bjorneberg D, Entry J, Lentz R, Orts W (2007) Polyacrylamide in agriculture and environmental land management. Adv Agron 92:75–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spokas K, Koskinen W, Baker J, Reicosky D (2009) Impacts of woodchip biochar additions on greenhouse gas production and sorption/degradation of two herbicides in a Minnesota soil. Chemosphere 77:574–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner ME, Miller WP (1996) Cation exchange capacity and exchange coefficients. Methods of soil analysis part 3. Chemical methods, pp 1201–1229

  • Usman A, Kuzyakov Y, Stahr K (2004) Dynamics of organic C mineralization and the mobile fraction of heavy metals in a calcareous soil incubated with organic wastes. Water Air Soil Pollut 158:401–418

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Groenigen K-J, Gorissen A, Six J, Harris D, Kuikman PJ, van Groenigen JW, van Kessel C (2005) Decomposition of 14C-labeled roots in a pasture soil exposed to 10 years of elevated CO2. Soil Biol Biochem 37:497–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vance E, Brookes P, Jenkinson D (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biol Biochem 19:703–707

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veihmeyer FJ, Hendrickson AH (1931) The moisture equivalent as a measure of the field capacity of soils. Soil Sci 32:181–194

  • Vourlitis GL, Fernandez JS (2015) Carbon and nitrogen mineralization of semi-arid shrubland soils exposed to chronic nitrogen inputs and pulses of labile carbon and nitrogen. J Arid Environ 122:37–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Pan X, Liu Y, Zhang X, Xiong Z (2012) Effects of biochar amendment in two soils on greenhouse gas emissions and crop production. Plant Soil 360:287–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Hu Y, Zhao X, Wang S, Xing G (2013) Comparisons of biochar properties from wood material and crop residues at different temperatures and residence times. Energ Fuels 27:5890–5899

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Xiong Z, Kuzyakov Y (2015) Biochar stability in soil: meta-analysis of decomposition and priming effects. Glob Change Biol. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12266

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Joergensen R, Pommerening B, Chaussod R, Brookes P (1990) Measurement of soil microbial biomass C by fumigation-extraction—an automated procedure. Soil Biol Biochem 22:1167–1169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu L, Ok YS, Xu XL, Kuzyakov Y (2012) Effects of anionic polyacrylamide on maize growth: a short term 14C labeling study. Plant Soil 350:311–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Sheng G (2003) Enhanced pesticide sorption by soils containing particulate matter from crop residue burns. Environ Sci Technol 37:3635–3639

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zibilske LM (1994) Carbon Mineralization. In: Weaver RW, Angle S, Bottomley P, Bezdicek D, Smith S, Tabatabai A et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2, microbiological and biochemical properties. Soil Science Society of America Book Series, vol. 5, Soil Sci Soc Am, Inc, Madison, pp 835–864

  • Zimmerman AR, Gao B, Ahn M-Y (2011) Positive and negative carbon mineralization priming effects among a variety of biochar-amended soils. Soil Biol Biochem 43:1169–1179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was carried out with the support of the “Cooperative Research Program for Agricultural Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ010182042015)”, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korea Government (NRF-2015R1A2A2A11001432).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yasser Mahmoud Awad.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Hailong Wang

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Awad, Y.M., Lee, S.S., Ok, Y.S. et al. Effects of biochar and polyacrylamide on decomposition of soil organic matter and 14C-labeled alfalfa residues. J Soils Sediments 17, 611–620 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1368-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1368-7

Keywords

Navigation