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Soil microbial responses over 2 years following biochar addition to a north temperate forest

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Abstract

Soil microbial biomass, activity, and community composition were studied 1 and 2 years after biochar, phosphorus (P), and biochar + P additions to the soil of a north temperate, mixed-deciduous, P-limited forest in Central Ontario, Canada. Biochar was pyrolyzed on site from sugar maple and white spruce sawdust at ca. 400 °C, and P was added as triple superphosphate. Biochar additions of 5 t ha−1 (approximately 0.4 to 1 kg P ha−1) had minor effects on bacterial and fungal community composition, fungi/bacteria ratios, microbial biomass, and microbial C mineralization, with significant changes only being detected in the organic layer for additions of maple biochar. In contrast, additions of 200 kg P ha−1 did alter soil chemical properties and reduced both microbial biomass and fungi/bacteria ratios. We conclude that biochar addition at 5 t ha−1 is neither beneficial nor toxic to the soil microbes in a northern hardwood forest on acidic soils, suggesting that biochar amendments can be used to sequester C without adversely affecting the soil microbial community.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project came from a NSERC Strategic Projects Grant to S. Thomas, N. Basiliko, and others and graduate fellowship support from the University of Toronto to G. Noyce. Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve graciously allowed site access and provided subsidized field lodging as well as personnel, equipment, and feedstock for biochar synthesis. We thank Kira Borden, Owen Brokenshire, Malcom Cockwell, Matt Garmon, Maciej Jamrozic, Kaitlyn Loukes, Leo Rocca, Jonathan Schurman, and Carolyn Winsborough for the assistance with setting up the plots and pyrolyzing the biochar and Chihiro Ikeda for assistance with 2012 lab work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Toronto, 100 St George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada

    Genevieve L. Noyce & Nathan Basiliko

  2. Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada

    Genevieve L. Noyce & Roberta Fulthorpe

  3. Department of Biology and the Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada

    Nathan Basiliko

  4. Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B3, Canada

    Tara E. Sackett & Sean C. Thomas

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  1. Genevieve L. Noyce
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  2. Nathan Basiliko
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  4. Tara E. Sackett
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Correspondence to Genevieve L. Noyce.

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Noyce, G.L., Basiliko, N., Fulthorpe, R. et al. Soil microbial responses over 2 years following biochar addition to a north temperate forest. Biol Fertil Soils 51, 649–659 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-015-1010-7

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