Pedosphere 25(5): 729--736, 2015
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2015 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Biochar-soil interactions in four agricultural soils |
N. M. JAAFAR1,3 , P. L. CLODE2 and
L. K. ABBOTT1 |
1Soil Biology and Molecular Ecology Group, School of
Earth and Environment (M087), and UWA Institute of
Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley,
WA 6009 (Australia)
2Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis
(M010), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA
6009 (Australia)
3Department of Land Management, Faculty of
Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang
(Malaysia) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Soils in south-western Australia are highly weathered and deficient in
nutrients for agricultural production. Addition of biochar has been
suggested as a mean of improving soil C storage, texture and nutrient
retention of these soils. Clay amendment in sandy soils in this region
is a management practice used to improve soil conditions, including
water repellence.In this study a woody biochar (Simcoa biochar) was
characterised using scanning electron microscopy before, and four weeks
after, it was incorporated into each of four soils differing in clay
content and organic matter. Scanning electron microscopy of Simcoa
biochar after incubation in soil showed different degrees of attachment
of soil particles to the biochar surfaces after 28 d. In addition, the
effects of three biochars, Simcoa biochar, activated biochar and
Wundowie biochar, on soil microbial biomass C and soil respiration were
investigated in a short-term incubation experiment. It was hypothesised
that all three biochars would have greater potential to increase soil
microbial activity in the soil that had higher organic matter and clay.
After 28-d incubation in soil, all three biochars had led to a higher
microbial biomass C in the clayey soil, but prior to this time, less
marked differences were observed in microbial biomass C among the four
soils following biochar application. |
| Key Words: clay amendment, microbial biomass carbon, scanning
electron microscopy, soil respiration |
| Citation: Jaafar, N. M., Clode, P.L. and Abbott, L. K. 2015. Biochar-soil interactions in four agricultural soils. Pedosphere. 25(5): 729-736. |
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