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Levett A, Gagen EJ, Levett I, Erskine PD. Integrating microalgae production into mine closure plans. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 337:117736. [PMID: 36933531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Examples of successful mine closure and acceptable regional transitioning of mining areas are scarce. The recent changes to the environmental, social and governance (ESG) obligations of mining companies should help to ensure that water and land resources as well as post-mining employment opportunities are considered as a part of mine closure. Integrating microalgae production into mine closure plans is a potential opportunity for mining companies to improve many ESG outcomes. Mine sites with sufficient suitable land and water resources in high solar radiation geographies may be able to economically grow microalgae to capture atmospheric CO2, re-purpose saline mine waters, treat acidic and near-neutral pH metalliferous waters as well as produce soil ameliorants (biofertiliser, biostimulants and/or biochar) to improve mine rehabilitation outcomes. Microalgae production facilities may also provide an alternative industry and employment opportunities to help transition regional mining towns that have become reliant on mining activities. The potential economic, environmental and social benefits of using mine-influenced water for microalgae production may offer an opportunity to successfully close and transition some mining landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Levett
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
| | - Emma J Gagen
- Environmental Microbiology for Mining and Agriculture, Queensland, 4054, Australia
| | - Ian Levett
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Peter D Erskine
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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2
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Huang R, Wang Z, Xiao Y, Yu L, Gao X, Wang C, Li B, Tao Q, Xu Q, Gao M. Increases in temperature response to CO 2 emissions in biochar-amended vegetable field soil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:50895-50905. [PMID: 35244849 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19011-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To explore the effects of biochar application on CO2 and CH4 emissions as well as the temperature response of CO2 emissions, a 1-year experiment was conducted with three treatments (control; CF, chemical fertilizer only; BCF, biochar combined with chemical fertilizer) in a vegetable field. The results showed that (1) compared with CF, short-term application of biochar significantly enhanced the cumulative CO2 emissions by 27.5% from a soil-plant system by increasing the soil microbial biomass (e.g., MBC) and C substrates (e.g., SOC); (2) lowest emissions of CH4 were observed in the BCF treatment, and an increase in CH4 consumption and reduced competition with NH4+ may be responsible for the significant reduction in CH4 source strength in biochar-amended soil; and (3) activation energy (Ea) was identified as an important factor influencing the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of CO2 emissions. Fertilization (CF and BCF) reduced the average Q10 and Ea values of CO2 emissions by 9.0-26.7% and 23.5-10.1%, respectively, relative to the control. In addition, the average Ea value in the BCF treatment (51.9 kJ mol-1) was significantly higher than those in the control and CF treatments. The increase in Q10 and Ea values following biochar application possibly contributed to the supplementation of limited labile C and nutrients but highly resistant C following biochar application. Soil pH and crop cultivation may play key roles in influencing the change in Ea. Our study concludes that biochar amendment increased CO2 emissions and temperature response of CO2 emission from the soil-plant system while reducing CH4 emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Huang
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soil Multiscale Interfacial Process, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zifang Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Luo Yu
- Chongqing Bishan District Flood Control and Drought Relief Dispatch Center, Chongqing, 402760, China
| | - Xuesong Gao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Changquan Wang
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bing Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Tao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Xu
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Number 211, Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Gao
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Stability of Woodchips Biochar and Impact on Soil Carbon Stocks: Results from a Two-Year Field Experiment. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12101350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Biochar has been shown to improve soil quality and crop yields. Furthermore, thanks to its high carbon content (C) and stable chemical structure, biochar can sequester C in the soil for a long time, mitigating climate change. However, the variability in published biochar stability in the soil makes verifying this trait under different environmental and agricultural conditions necessary. Moreover, most of the published literature refers to short-term incubation experiments, which are considered to not adequately represent long-term dynamics under field conditions. This article reports the results of a field experiment carried out in a vineyard near Merano, northern Italy, where the stability of woodchips biochar in soil, its impact on the total soil C stocks as well as on the original soil organic C (priming effect) were studied over two years. Vineyard soil (Dystric Eutrochrept) was amended with biochar (25 and 50 t ha−1) alone or together with compost (45 t ha−1) and compared with unamended control soil. Two methods assessed the stability of biochar in soil: the isotopic mass balance approach and the quantification of Benzene PolyCarboxylic Acids (BPCAs), molecular markers of biochar. The amount of C in the soil organic matter (SOM-C) was determined in the amended plots by subtracting the amount of biochar-C from the total soil organic C stock, and the occurrence of priming effect was verified by comparing SOM-C values at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Results did not show any significant biochar degradation for both application rates, but results were characterized by a high variation. The application of 50 t ha−1 of biochar significantly increased soil C stock while no effect of biochar on the degradation of SOM-C was observed. Results were confirmed in the case of biochar application together with compost. It can be concluded that the use of woodchips biochar as a soil amendment can increase soil C content in the medium term. However, further analyses are recommended to evaluate the impact of biochar on climate change mitigation in the long term.
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Fallah N, Yang Z, Tayyab M, Zhang C, Abubakar AY, Lin Z, Pang Z, Allison A, Zhang H. Depth-dependent influence of biochar application on the abundance and community structure of diazotrophic under sugarcane growth. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253970. [PMID: 34280207 PMCID: PMC8289083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite progress in understanding diazotrophic distribution in surface soils, few studies have investigated the distribution of diazotrophic bacteria in deeper soil layers. Here, we leveraged high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of nifH genes obtained to assess the influence of biochar amended soil (BC) and control (CK), and soil depths (0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm) on diazotrophic abundance and community structures, soil enzyme activities and physio-chemical properties. Multivariate ANOVA analysis revealed that soil depth had profound impact on majority of the soil parameters measured than fertilization. Although soil physio-chemical properties, enzymes activities, diazotrophic genera and enriched operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were significantly influenced across the entire soil profiles, we also observed that BC amended soil significantly increased cane stalk height and weight, nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), organic matter (OM), total carbon (TC) and available potassium (AK), and enhanced diazotrophic genera in soil depth 0–20 cm compared to CK treatment. Soil TC, total nitrogen (TN), OM and NH4+ were the major impact factors shifting diazotrophic community structures in soil depth 0–20 cm. Overall, these results were more pronounced in 0–20 cm soil depth in BC than CK treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nyumah Fallah
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ziqi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Muhammad Tayyab
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Caifang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ahmad Yusuf Abubakar
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Zhaoli Lin
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ziqin Pang
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Americ Allison
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- * E-mail:
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Mansoor S, Kour N, Manhas S, Zahid S, Wani OA, Sharma V, Wijaya L, Alyemeni MN, Alsahli AA, El-Serehy HA, Paray BA, Ahmad P. Biochar as a tool for effective management of drought and heavy metal toxicity. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 271:129458. [PMID: 33421912 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Drought and heavy metal stress undesirably disturb soil fertility and plant growth. Heavy metals pose severe biological toxic effects. Biochar, a carbon rich source application ameliorates this stress by increasing the plant growth, biomass, nutrient uptake and improves gaseous exchange in drought stress. Application of biochar reduces drought stress by increasing water holding capacity of soil through modification of soil physio-chemical properties that in turn increases water availability to plants and also enhances mineral uptake and regulation of stomatal conductance. Biochar mediates the retention of moisture, nutrients, inhibits harmful bacteria, absorbs heavy metals, pesticides, prevents soil erosion, increases soil pH, improves cationic exchange and boosts soil fertility. Drought and heavy metal stress often lead to production of reactive oxygen species. However, biochar significantly modifies the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavenging enzymes and provides an efficient electron transferring mechanism to tackle the toxic effects of ROS in plants. Biochar is regarded as a tool for the effective management of agricultural productivity and various environmental issues. This review provides insights on the potential role of biochar in ameliorating drought and heavy metal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Mansoor
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, 180009, India
| | - Navneet Kour
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, 180009, India
| | - Sweeta Manhas
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, 180009, India
| | - Sheikh Zahid
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, 180009, India
| | - Owais Ali Wani
- Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, FoA Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, 190025, India
| | - Vikas Sharma
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, 180009, India
| | - Leonard Wijaya
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Abdullah Alsahli
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamed A El-Serehy
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bilal Ahmad Paray
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Botany, S.P. College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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6
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Effect of Woodchips Biochar on Sensitivity to Temperature of Soil Greenhouse Gases Emissions. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10070594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Research Highlights: Biochar is the carbonaceous product of pyrolysis or the gasification of biomass that is used as soil amendment to improve soil fertility and increase soil carbon stock. Biochar has been shown to increase, decrease, or have no effect on the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from soil, depending on the specific soil and biochar characteristics. However, the temperature sensitivity of these gas emissions in biochar-amended soils is still poorly investigated. Background and Objectives: A pot experiment was set up to investigate the impact of woodchips biochar on the temperature sensitivity of the main GHG (CO2, CH4, and N2O) emissions from soil. Materials and Methods: Nine pots (14 L volume) were filled with soil mixed with biochar at two application rates (0.021 kg of biochar/kg of soil and 0.042 kg of biochar/kg of soil) or with soil alone as the control (three pots per treatment). Pots were incubated in a growth chamber and the emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O were monitored for two weeks with a cavity ring-down gas analyzer connected to three closed dynamic chambers. The temperature in the chamber increased from 10 °C to 30 °C during the first week and decreased back to 10 °C during the second week, with a daily change of 5 °C. Soil water content was kept at 20% (w/w). Results: Biochar application did not significantly affect the temperature sensitivity of CO2 and N2O emissions. However, the sensitivity of CH4 uptake from soil significantly decreased by the application of biochar, reducing the CH4 soil consumption compared to the un-amended soil, especially at high soil temperatures. Basal CO2 respiration at 10 °C was significantly higher in the highest biochar application rate compared to the control soil. Conclusions: These results confirmed that the magnitude and direction of the influence of biochar on temperature sensitivity of GHG emissions depend on the specific GHG considered. The biochar tested in this study did not affect soil N2O emission and only marginally affected CO2 emission in a wide range of soil temperatures. However, it showed a negative impact on soil CH4 uptake, particularly at a high temperature, having important implications in a future warmer climate scenario and at higher application rates.
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Thers H, Djomo SN, Elsgaard L, Knudsen MT. Biochar potentially mitigates greenhouse gas emissions from cultivation of oilseed rape for biodiesel. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 671:180-188. [PMID: 30928748 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is the main crop for biodiesel in the EU, where legislation demands at least 50% savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as compared to fossil diesel. Thus industrial sectors search for optimized management systems to lower GHG emissions from oilseed rape cultivation. Recently, pyrolysis of biomass with subsequent soil amendment of biochar has shown potentials for GHG mitigation in terms of carbon (C) sequestration, avoidance of fossil based electricity, and mitigation of soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Here we analyzed three WOSR scenarios in terms of their global warming impact using a life cycle assessment approach. The first was a reference scenario with average Danish WOSR cultivation where straw residues were incorporated to the soil. The others were biochar scenarios in which the oilseed rape straw was pyrolysed to biochar at two process temperatures (400 and 800 °C) and returned to the field. The concept of avoided atmospheric CO2 load was applied for calculation of C sequestration factors for biochar, which resulted in larger mitigation effects than derived from calculations of just the remaining C in soil. In total, GHG emissions were reduced by 73 to 83% in the two biochar scenarios as compared to the reference scenario, mainly due to increased C sequestration. The climate benefits were higher for pyrolysis of oilseed rape straw at 800 than at 400 °C. The results demonstrated that biochar has a potential to improve the life cycle GHG emissions of oilseed rape biodiesel, and highlighted the importance of consolidated key assumptions, such as biochar stability in soil and the CO2 load of marginal grid electricity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Thers
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
| | | | - Lars Elsgaard
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
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Wang X, Chen G, Wang S, Zhang L, Zhang R. Temperature sensitivity of different soil carbon pools under biochar addition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:4130-4140. [PMID: 30560533 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3822-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the temperature sensitivity of labile and relatively recalcitrant forest soil carbon (C) pools amended with biochar during short-term incubation. Biochars were prepared using sugar cane residue under pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 700 °C (i.e., BC300 and BC700), respectively. Coarse particulate organic matter and acid hydrolysis residue were separated from a forest soil and treated as the labile and recalcitrant C pools of the soil, respectively. Temperature sensitivity of the soil C pools was characterized using the Q10 values (i.e., the proportional increase in respiration per 10 °C rise). The increased Q10 values of treatments in the earlier stage were attributable to instantaneously increased aromatic C content. The following decreased Q10 values were related to the consumption of labile C. However, the two types of biochars led to similar Q10 values in the same C pools at the later stage of incubation, which was closely related to the nearly humic-like component content in the dissolved organic matter. The different temporal distributions of Q10 values were attributable to changes of aromatic C content and continuous consumption of labile components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guanhong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Shuyan Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Leiyi Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Renduo Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Carbon sequestration potential and physicochemical properties differ between wildfire charcoals and slow-pyrolysis biochars. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11233. [PMID: 28894167 PMCID: PMC5594023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10455-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyrogenic carbon (PyC), produced naturally (wildfire charcoal) and anthropogenically (biochar), is extensively studied due to its importance in several disciplines, including global climate dynamics, agronomy and paleosciences. Charcoal and biochar are commonly used as analogues for each other to infer respective carbon sequestration potentials, production conditions, and environmental roles and fates. The direct comparability of corresponding natural and anthropogenic PyC, however, has never been tested. Here we compared key physicochemical properties (elemental composition, δ13C and PAHs signatures, chemical recalcitrance, density and porosity) and carbon sequestration potentials of PyC materials formed from two identical feedstocks (pine forest floor and wood) under wildfire charring- and slow-pyrolysis conditions. Wildfire charcoals were formed under higher maximum temperatures and oxygen availabilities, but much shorter heating durations than slow-pyrolysis biochars, resulting in differing physicochemical properties. These differences are particularly relevant regarding their respective roles as carbon sinks, as even the wildfire charcoals formed at the highest temperatures had lower carbon sequestration potentials than most slow-pyrolysis biochars. Our results challenge the common notion that natural charcoal and biochar are well suited as proxies for each other, and suggest that biochar’s environmental residence time may be underestimated when based on natural charcoal as a proxy, and vice versa.
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Garcia-Barreda S, Molina-Grau S, Forcadell R, Sánchez S, Reyna S. Long-term soil alteration in historical charcoal hearths affects Tuber melanosporum mycorrhizal development and environmental conditions for fruiting. MYCORRHIZA 2017; 27:603-609. [PMID: 28421311 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-017-0773-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Abandoned charcoal hearths constitute a very particular habitat for spontaneous fruiting of Tuber melanosporum, leading some harvesters to hypothesise that the fungus could benefit from the alterations that these soils underwent. However, ecological mechanisms involved in this relation are not fully elucidated yet. As a first step to understand it, the influence of long-term soil alteration on the symbiotic stage of T. melanosporum and on selected soil properties considered key to fruiting was assessed by conducting a greenhouse bioassay and a field observational study. In the bioassay, percent root colonisation and relative abundance of T. melanosporum were significantly lower in hearth than in control soils. Hearth soils showed significantly lower resistance to penetration, larger temperature fluctuation, reduced plant cover and reduced herbaceous root abundance. The results do not support the hypothesis that soil from historical charcoal hearths currently enhances development of T. melanosporum mycorrhizas. However, whether this is due to increased infectivity of native ectomycorrhizal communities or to worse conditions for development of T. melanosporum mycorrhizas remains unresolved. Native ectomycorrhizal communities in hearths showed altered composition, although not a clear change in infectivity or richness. Direction of change in hearth soil properties is compared to alteration occurring in soils spontaneously producing T. melanosporum. The interest of these changes to improve T. melanosporum fruiting in plantations is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Garcia-Barreda
- Unidad de Recursos Forestales, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón - IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Avda. Montañana 930, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación y Experimentación en Truficultura de la Diputación de Huesca, Polígono Fabardo s/n, 22430, Graus, Spain.
| | - Sara Molina-Grau
- Fundación Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo, C/ Charles Darwin 14 Parque Tecnológico, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Ricardo Forcadell
- Fundación Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo, C/ Charles Darwin 14 Parque Tecnológico, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Sergio Sánchez
- Unidad de Recursos Forestales, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón - IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Avda. Montañana 930, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Santiago Reyna
- ETS Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46021, Valencia, Spain
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Hernandez-Soriano MC, Kerré B, Kopittke PM, Horemans B, Smolders E. Biochar affects carbon composition and stability in soil: a combined spectroscopy-microscopy study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25127. [PMID: 27113269 PMCID: PMC4844975 DOI: 10.1038/srep25127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of biochar can contribute to carbon (C) storage in soil. Upon addition of biochar, there is a spatial reorganization of C within soil particles, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we used Fourier transformed infrared-microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy to examine this reorganization. A silty-loam soil was amended with three different organic residues and with the biochar produced from these residues and incubated for 237 d. Soil respiration was lower in biochar-amended soils than in residue-amended soils. Fluorescence analysis of the dissolved organic matter revealed that biochar application increased a humic-like fluorescent component, likely associated with biochar-C in solution. The combined spectroscopy-microscopy approach revealed the accumulation of aromatic-C in discrete spots in the solid-phase of microaggregates and its co-localization with clay minerals for soil amended with raw residue or biochar.The co-localization of aromatic-C:polysaccharides-C was consistently reduced upon biochar application. We conclude that reduced C metabolism is an important mechanism for C stabilization in biochar-amended soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Hernandez-Soriano
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.,The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Bart Kerré
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Peter M Kopittke
- The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Benjamin Horemans
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Erik Smolders
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
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