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Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen accessibility with the application of biochars with different morphological and physical characteristics

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

The recent literature indicates that, depending on the feedstocks and pyrolysis temperature, biochar can be a good source of nutrients. On the contrary, some biochars are not good sources of available carbon and other nutrients, but their porous structure seems to be a suitable microenvironment for microbial colonization. We investigated the response of soil biological parameters, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN), in relation to mobile N species.

Material and methods

Five different biochars were produced at different temperatures (300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 °C) from the same feedstock (woodchips). The physicochemical and morphological characteristics of the individual biochar samples were described, and incubation was carried out with the application of 2% biochar to two different soil types (luvisol and fluvisol).

Results and discussion

The addition of 2% biochar did not change the pH in the slightly acid soils used in the experiment, in spite of the alkaline character of biochar. The increasing amounts of total and nitrate-available nitrogen during the experiment are probably related to changes in soil microbial activity. The amount of soluble carbon was constant during the experiment, confirming its stability in the soil, most likely because of the high amount of lignin in the feedstock. The influence of biochar on the soil microbiome was determined on the basis of the concentrations of MBC and MBN. Microbial biomass was increased in both soils treated with biochar produced at lower temperatures.

Conclusions

The physicochemical characteristics of the biochar as well as the sorption behavior of N-NO3− and N-NH4+ indicate that at a pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C, biochar properties change substantially. However, these findings are only valid for biochar produced from woodchips, and the long-term effects of biochar application on soil properties need to be investigated in further studies.

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Acknowledgements

Correction and improvement of language were provided by Proof-Reading-Service.com Ltd., Devonshire Business Centre, Works Road, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1GJ, UK.

Funding

The authors received financial support from the GAČR 19-02836S project, and European Regional Development Fund - Project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/ 0000845.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-, Suchdol, Czech Republic

    Michaela Sedláková, Jiřina Száková, Niguss Solomon Hailegnaw, Zlata Holečková, Kateřina Pračke, Tatiana Robledo-Mahón & Pavel Tlustoš

  2. Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Miloslav Lhotka

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  1. Michaela Sedláková
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  2. Jiřina Száková
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  3. Miloslav Lhotka
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  4. Niguss Solomon Hailegnaw
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  5. Zlata Holečková
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Correspondence to Jiřina Száková.

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Sedláková, M., Száková, J., Lhotka, M. et al. Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen accessibility with the application of biochars with different morphological and physical characteristics. J Soils Sediments 21, 1644–1658 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-02910-5

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