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Anthropogenic charcoal-rich soils of the XIX century reveal that biochar leads to enhanced fertility and fodder quality of alpine grasslands

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Abstract

Background and aims

Soil incorporation of charcoal (biochar) has been suggested as practice to sequester carbon, improve soil properties and crop yields but most studies have been done in the short term. Old anthropogenic charcoal-rich soils in the Alps enable to explore the long-term impact of charcoal addition to alpine grassland on seed germination, fertility and fodder nutritive value.

Methods

A germination test and a growth experiment in pots with Festuca nigrescens Lam. and Trifolium pratense L. were performed using three different substrates: control soil (i.e. sandy-loam brown acid soils with some podsolization), charcoal hearth soil (i.e. charcoal-enriched anthropogenic soils derived from the carbonization of larch wood on flat terraces) and control soil mixed with a fraction of fresh larch wood charcoal to reach the soil-charcoal ratio of 0.6.

Results

Both aged and fresh charcoal improved germination and markedly increased plant growth of the two plant species. The addition of fresh charcoal had an initial detrimental effect that disappeared in the second and third growth cycles. Plant Nitrogen:Phosphorus ratio revealed that growth was N-limited in the anthropogenic soils and P-limited in the control and freshly amended soils demonstrating that biochar aging is critical to obtain a significant growth stimulation. Plant nutrient contents revealed an improved fodder quality in both the charcoal amended soils.

Conclusions

Despite the occurrence of limited toxic effects on seedlings, larch wood charcoal appears to have positive effects on fertility and fodder quality of alpine grasslands in the long term.

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Author notes

  1. G. Alberti

    Present address: Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher str. 4, 79085, Freiburg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Foxlab Joint CNR-FEM Initiative, Via E. Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

    I. Criscuoli, C. Martinez & F. Miglietta

  2. Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (UMR 7618), Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris06 - Sorbonne (UPEC, UPMC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Paris Diderot), 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75005, Paris, France

    I. Criscuoli

  3. Institute of Biometeorology, National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), Via Caproni 8, 50145, Florence, Italy

    S. Baronti, E. Pusceddu & F. Miglietta

  4. The EFI Project Centre on Mountain Forests (MOUNTFOR), Edmund Mach Foundation, via Edmund Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

    G. Alberti

  5. Dipartimento di Scienze Agro-Alimentari, Animali ed Ambientali, University of Udine, via delle Scienze, 206, 33100, Udine, Italy

    G. Alberti

  6. CNRS, IEES, Campus AgroParisTech, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    C. Rumpel

  7. Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

    M. Giordan, F. Camin & L. Ziller

  8. ECHO-EPFL, Laboratory of Ecohydrology, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    F. Miglietta

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This study was financed by: EuroChar project (FP7-ENV-478 2010ID-265,179) funded by the European Commission and AgroPyroGas funded by Regione Toscana, Italy. G.A. was partially supported by a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, Germany) scholarship for a three-month research period at University of Freiburg, Germany. I.C. was supported by a Ph.D. grant from Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Criscuoli, I., Baronti, S., Alberti, G. et al. Anthropogenic charcoal-rich soils of the XIX century reveal that biochar leads to enhanced fertility and fodder quality of alpine grasslands. Plant Soil 411, 499–516 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3046-3

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