Abstract
Purpose
Biochar plays an active role in increasing crop yield and improving soil quality due to its unique properties and structure. However, the physical and chemical properties of biochar also change over time after applying to the soil, which is referred to as aging. The distinction between modifying soil fertility and soil nutrient status is uncertain (especially in soil potassium levels).
Materials and methods
We used three approaches to simulate aging progress of biochar, including acidification (AB), dry–wet cycle (DWB), and freezing–thawing cycling (FB). We used element analyzer, BET-N adsorption method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to observe the difference in physical and chemical properties between original biochar (OB) and aged biochar (AB, DWB, and FB). In addition, we undertook pot experiment to assess the impact of original biochar and aged biochar on soil fertility status, soil enzyme activities, and the growth of cabbage, especially in the difference in promoting soil potassium (K) level.
Results and discussion
The main results were as follows: Original biochar and aged biochar improved soil fertility and cabbage growth, but the improvement effect of aged biochar on soil environment was weakened. Among all-aged biochars, the AB had the worst effect on the soil environment. Compared to without biochar treatment (CK), the water-soluble K, available K, exchangeable K, and non-exchangeable K were increased by 43.60%, 45.56%, 46.49%, and 44.30%, respectively, under original biochar treatment. However, the promotion effect of soil potassium level was significantly decreased under the AB treatment. Additionally, the C and N content of biochar increased with aged biochar treatment, and the increasing trend was further obvious after applying it to the soil. Moreover, aged biochar treatment affected the surface of biochar, and was more susceptible to erosion in the soil by long-term water leaching.
Conclusions
Overall, the impacts of aged biochar on cabbage growth and soil fertility were inhibited compared to original biochar treatment, further providing a basis and reference for the proper application of biochar in agriculture production.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The availability of data and materials is on the base of personal request.
References
Ahmad M, Hashimoto Y, Moon DH, Lee SS, Ok YS (2012) Immobilization of lead in a Korean military shooting range soil using eggshell waste: an integrated mechanistic approach. J Hazard Mater 209–210:392–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.01.047
Akhtar SS. Li G, Andersen MN, Liu F (2014) Biochar enhances yield and quality of tomato under reduced irrigation. Agric Water Manag 138: 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2014.02.016
Al-Wabel MI, Al-Omran A, El-Naggar AH, Nadeem M, Usman ARA (2013) Pyrolysis temperature induced changes in characteristics and chemical composition of biochar produced from conocarpus wastes. Bioresour Technol 131:374–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.12.165
Anton-Herrero R, Garciadelgado C, Alonsoizquierdo M, Garciarodriguez G, Cuevas J, Eymar E (2018) Comparative adsorption of tetracyclines on biochars and stevensite: looking for the most effective adsorbent. Appl Clay Sci 160:162–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2017.12.023
Bao SD (2000) Soil and agriculture chemistry analysis, third ed. China Agr. Press 39–61 (in Chinese)
Braadbaart F, Poole I (2009) Preservation potential of charcoal in alkaline environments: an experimental approach and implications for the archaeological record. J Archaeol Sci 36:1672–1679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.03.006
Chen H, Li D, Zhao J, Zhang W, Xiao K, Wang K (2018) Nitrogen addition aggravates microbial carbon limitation: evidence from ecoenzymatic stoichiometry. Geoderma 329:61–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.05.019
Chen WF, Meng J, Han XR, Zhang W (2019) Past, present, and future of biochar. Biochar 1:75–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-019-00008-3
Cornelissen G (2005) Extensive sorption of organic compounds to black carbon, coal, and kerogen in sediments and soils: mechanisms and consequences for distribution, bioaccumulation, and biodegradation. Environ Sci Technol 39:6881–6895. https://doi.org/10.1021/es050191b
Cui DJ, Liu YH, Zheng QZ, Xin W, Li SH, Sui FG (2008) Effect of long-term fertilization on K+ releasing of different soil particle fractions in noncalcareous fluvo-aquic. Acta Pedologic Sinica 45(3):573–578 (in Chinese)
Demirbas A (2000) Mechanisms of liquefaction and pyrolysis reactions of biomass. Energy Convers Manage 41:633–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-8904(99)00130-2
Demisie W, Liu Z, Zhang M (2014) Effect of biochar on carbon fractions and enzyme activity of red soil. Catena 121:214–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2014.05.020
Dong C, Wang W, Liu H, Xu X, Zeng H (2019) Temperate grassland shifted from nitrogen to phosphorus limitation induced by degradation and nitrogen deposition : evidence from soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry. Ecol Indic 101:453–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.01.046
Fan QY, Sun JX, Chu L, Cui LQ, Quan GX, Yan JL, Hussain Q, Iqbal M (2018) Effects of chemical oxidation on surface oxygen-containing functional groups and adsorption behavior of biochar. Chemosphere 207:33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.05.044
Fang Y, Singh B, Singh BP (2015) Effect of temperature on biochar priming effects and its stability in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 80:136–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.10.006
Farhangi-Abriz S, Torabian S (2018) Effect of biochar on growth and ion contents of bean plant under saline condition. Environ Sci Pollut Res 5:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1446-z
Gao Y, Li T, Fu Q, Li H, Liu D, Ji Y, Li Q, Cai Y (2020) Biochar application for the improvement of water-soil environments and carbon emissions under freeze-thaw conditions: an in-situ field trial. Sci Total Environ 723(3):138007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138007
Hammes K, Torn MS, Lapenas AG (2008) Centennial black carbon turnover observed in a Russian steppe soil. Biogeosciences 5(5):1339-1350. 10.5194/bg-5-1339-2008.
Hashimoto Y, Matsufuru H, Takaoka M, Tanida H, Sato T (2009) Impacts of chemical amendment and plant growth on lead speciation and enzyme activities in a shooting range soil: an X-ray absorption fine structure investigation. J Environ Qual 38:1420–1428. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2008.0427
Hockaday WC, Grannas AM, Kim S, Hatcher PG (2007) The transformation and mobility of charcoal in a fire-impacted watershed. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 71:3432–3445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2007.02.023
Kuzyakov Y, Bogomolova I, Glaser B (2014) Biochar stability in soil: decomposition during eight years and transformation as assessed by compound-specific14C analysis. Soil Biol Biochem 70:229–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.021
Laghari M, Saffar M, Hu ZQ, Fazal S, Xiao B, Hu M, Chen ZH, Guo DB (2015) Effects of biochar application rate on sandy desert soil properties and sorghum growth. Catena 135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.08.013
Lehmann J (2007) A handful of carbon. Nature 447:143–144. https://doi.org/10.1038/447143a
Lehmann J, Gaunt J, Rondon M (2006) Biochar sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems-a review. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change 11:403–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-005-9006-5
Leng LJ, Huang HJ, Li H, Li J, Zhou WG (2019) Biochar stability assessment methods: a review. Sci Total Environ 647:210–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.402
Li CJ, Xiong YW, Qu ZY, Xu X, Huang QZ, Huang GH (2018) Impact of biochar addition on soil properties and water-fertilizer productivity of tomato in semi-arid region of Inner Mongolia, China. Geoderma 331:100–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.06.014
Li HX, Lu XQ, Xu Y, Liu HT (2019) How close is artificial biochar aging to natural biochar aging in fields? A meta-analysis. Geoderma 352:96–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.06.006
Lin Q, Zhang L, Riaz M, Zhang MY, Xia H, Lv B, Jiang CC (2018) Assessing the potential of biochar and aged biochar to alleviate aluminum toxicity in an acid soil for achieving cabbage productivity. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 161:290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.06.010
Liu SN, Meng J, Jiang LL, Yang X, Lan Y, Cheng XY, Chen WF (2017) Rice husk biochar impacts soil phosphorous availability, phosphatase activities and bacterial community characteristics in three different soil types. Appl Soil Ecol 116:12–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.03.020
Ma XZ, Chen LJ, Wu ZJ (2008) Kinetics of soil β-glacosidase under long-term fertilization. Jouranl of Zhejiang University (agriculture and Life Science) 34(5):552–556 (in Chinese)
Meena VS, Maurya BR, Verma JP, Aeron A, Kumar A, Kim K, Bajpai VK (2015) Potassium solubilizing rhizobacteria (ksr): isolation, identification, and k-release dynamics from waste mica. Ecol Eng 81:340–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.04.065
Miao W (2014) Ageing effect of biochar on soil nutrients and growth of rice. Shengyang Agricultural University
Mizuta K, Matsumoto, T., Hatate, Y., Nishihara, K., Nakanishi, T (2004) Removal of nitrate-nitrogen from drinking water using bamboo powder charcoal. Bioresour Technol 95 (3), 255–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2004.02.015
Moorhead DL, Sinsabaugh RL, Hill BH, Weintraub MN (2016) Vector analysis of ecoenzyme activities reveal constraints on coupled C, N and P dynamics. Soil Biol Biochem 93:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.10.019
Peng X, Wang W (2016) Stoichiometry of soil extracellular enzyme activity along a climatic transect in temperate grasslands of northern China. Soil Biol Biochem 98:74–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.04.008
Qian L, Chen B (2013a) Dual role of biochars as adsorbents for aluminum: the effects of oxygen-containing organic components and the scattering of silicate particles. Environ Sci Technol 47(15):8759–8768. https://doi.org/10.1021/es401756h
Qian L, Chen B, Hu D (2013b) Effective alleviation of aluminum phytotoxicity by manure-derived biochar. Environ Sci Technol 47(6):2737–2745. https://doi.org/10.1021/es3047872
Qian L, Chen M, Chen B (2015) Competitive adsorption of cadmium and aluminum onto fresh and oxidized biochars during aging processes. J Soils Sediments 15(5): 130–1138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1073-y
Quan G, Fan Q, Cui L, Zimmerman AR, Wang H, Zhu Z, Gao B, Wu L, Yan J (2020) Simulated photocatalytic aging of biochar in soil ecosystem: Insight into organic carbon release, surface physicochemical properties and cadmium sorption. Environ Res 183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109241
Sabale RP, Shabeer TPA, Utture SC, Banerjee K, Oulkar DP, Adsule PG, Deshmukh MB (2015) Kresoxim methyl dissipation kinetics and its residue effect on soil extra-cellular and intra-cellular enzymatic activity in four different soils of India. J Environ Sci Health Part B 50:90–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2015.975600
Saha M, Maurya BR, Meena VS, Bahadur I, Kumar A (2016) Identification and characterization of potassium solubilizing bacteria (ksb) from indo-gangetic plains of India. Biocatal Biotransfor 7:202–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2016.06.007
Sinsabaugh RL, Hill BH, Follstad Shah JJ (2009) Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry of microbial organic nutrient acquisition in soil and sediment. Nature 462:795–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08632
Sinsabaugh RL, Lauber CL, Weintraub MN, Ahmed B, Allison SD, Crenshaw C, Contosta AR, Cusack D, Frey S, Gallo ME, Gartner TB, Hobbie SE, Holland K, Keeler BL, Powers JS, Stursova M, Takacs-Vesbach C, Waldrop MP, Wallenstein MD, Zak DR, Zeglin LH (2008) Stoichiometry of soil enzyme activity at global scale. Ecol Lett 11:1252–1264. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01245.x
Steiner C, Glaser B, Teixeira WG, Lehmann J, Blum WEH, Zech, W (2008) Nitrogen retention and plant uptake on a highly weathered central Amazonian Ferralsol amended with compost and charcoal. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 171(6):893–899. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200625199
Suliman W, Harsh JB, Abulail NI, Fortuna A, Dallmeyer I, Garciaperez M (2016) Influence of feedstock source and pyrolysis temperature on biochar bulk and surface properties. Biomass Bioenerg 84:37–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.11.010
Tatariw C, MacRae JD, Fernandez IJ, Gruselle MC, Salvino CJ, Simon KS (2018) Chronic nitrogen enrichment at the watershed scale does not enhance microbial phosphorus limitation. Ecosystems 21:178–189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-017-0140-1
Wang X, Song D, Liang G, Zhang Q, Ai C, Zhou W (2015) Maize biochar addition rate influences soil enzyme activity and microbial community composition in a fluvo-aquic soil. Appl Soil Ecol 96:265–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2015.08.018
Wu T, Feng GL, Zeng Z, Chen JH, Xu QF, Liang CF (2014) Effect of biochar addition on ryegrass growth in a pot experiment and its mechanism. Acta Pedologic Sinica 54(2):525–534 (in Chinese)
Wu XW, Wang D, Riaz M, Zhang L, Jiang CC (2019) Investigating the effect of biochar on the potential of increasing cotton yield, potassium efficiency and soil environment. Ecotoxicol. Environ Saf 182(OCT.):109451.1–109451.7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109451
Xia H, Riaz M, Zhang M, Liu B, El-desouki Z, Jiang CC (2020) Biochar increases nitrogen use efficiency of maize by relieving aluminum toxicity and improving soil quality in acidic soil. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 196:110531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110531
Xie JG, Hou YP, Yin CX, Kong LL, Qin YB, Li Q, Wang LC (2014) Effect of potassium application and straw returning on spring maize yield, nutrient absorption and soil potassium balance. Plant Nutr Fert Sci 20(5):1110–1118. https://doi.org/10.11674/zwyf.2014.0507
Xin LD, Gui TL, Qi ML (2017) Quantity and quality changes of biochar aged for 5years in soil under field conditions. Catena 159
Yao FX, Arbestain MC, Virgel S, Blanco F, Arostegui J, Maciáagulló JA (2010) Simulated geochemical weathering of a mineral ash-rich biochar in a modified soxhlet reactor. Chemosphere 80(7):724–732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.05.026
Ying JG, Lin QY, Zhang MY, Huang Y, Peng SA, Jiang CC (2016) Mitigative effect of biochar on aluminum toxicity of acid soil and the potential mechanism. Agric Sci China 49(23):4576–4583 (in Chinese).
Yuan J, Xu R (2011a) The amelioration effects of low temperature biochar generated from nine crop residues on an acidic Ultisol. Soil Use Manage 27:110–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2010.00317.x
Yuan JH, Xu RK, Zhang H (2011b) The forms of alkalis in the biochar produced from crop residues at different temperatures. Bioresource Technol 102:3488–3497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.11.018
Zeng L, Qin C, Wang L, Li W (2011) Volatile compounds formed from the pyrolysis of chitosan. Carbohydr Polym 83:1553–1557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.10.007
Zhang MY, Muhammad R, Zhang L, Xia H, Cong M, Jiang CC (2018) Investigating the effect of biochar and fertilizer on the composition and function of bacteria in red soil. Appl Ecol 139:107–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.03.021
Zhang MY, Riaz M, Liu B, Xia H, El-desouki Z, Jiang CC (2020) Two-year study of biochar: achieving excellent capability of potassium supply via alter clay mineral composition and potassium-dissolving bacteria activity. Sci Total Environ 717:137286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137286
Zhang MY, Zhang L, Cong M, Xia H, Jiang CC (2021) Biochar amendment improved fruit quality and soil properties and microbial communities at different depths in citrus production. J Clean Prod 292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126062
Zhang ZY, Huang L, Liu F, Wang MK, Fu QL, Zhu J (2017) The properties of clay minerals in soil particles from two ultisols, China. Clay Clay Miner 65:273–285. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2017.064064
Zhu LX, Xiao Q, Cheng HY, Shi BJ, Shen YF, Li SQ (2017) Seasonal dynamics of soil microbial activity after biochar addition in a dryland maize field in North-Western China. Ecol Eng 104, 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.04.026
Zwieten LV, Kimber S, Morris S, Chan KY, Downie A, Rust J, Joseph S, Cowie A (2010) Effects of biochar from slow pyrolysis of papermill waste on agronomic performance and soil fertility. Plant Soil 327(1/2):235–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0050-x
Funding
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42167042) and the National Key Research and Development of China (2017YFD0200803).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
We thank C.C.J. for helping to design and supervising this study; H.X, Y.L, X.W, and M.C for maintaining the experiment process and determining soil physiochemical properties; and R.M for revising the manuscript grammatically. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The manuscript was reviewed and ethically approved for publication by all authors. The manuscript was reviewed and consents to participate by all authors.
Consent for publication
The manuscript was reviewed and consents to publish by all authors.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Xia, H., Riaz, M., Ming, C. et al. Assessing the difference of biochar and aged biochar to improve soil fertility and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) productivity. J Soils Sediments 23, 606–618 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03368-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03368-9