Pedosphere (2): 655--668, 2026
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2026 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Mechanistic understanding of biochar-induced inhibition of Bacillus megaterium growth and soil phosphorus solubilization |
Yang LIU1, Lihua ZHU1, Junyuan ZHANG1, Zhuo WEI1 , Xuhan HUANG1, Christian E. W. STEINBERG1,2, Hao QIU3, Martina G. VIJVER4, Jing ZHAO1, Willie J. G. M. PEIJNENBURG4,5 |
1 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500 (China)
2 Institute of Biology, Freshwater & Stress Ecology, Humboldt University, Berlin 12437 (Germany)
3 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)
4 Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden 2300RA (The Netherlands)
5 National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center for Safety of Substances and Products, Bilthoven 3720BA (The Netherlands) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Due to the complex composition of biochar and the potential interactions between its components, controversial results regarding its effects on soil phosphorus (P) solubilization have been reported. In this study, pinewood biochars were prepared at pyrolysis temperatures of 200 (BC200), 300 (BC300), 400 (BC400), 500 (BC500), and 600 (BC600) ℃, and their dissolved (DBC200, DBC300, DBC400, DBC500, and DBC600, respectively) and particulate (WBC200, WBC300, WBC400, WBC500, and WBC600, respectively) fractions were prepared as well. An incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of BCs, DBCs, and WBCs on the growth, acid (ACP) and alkaline (AKP) phosphatase activities, and metabolites and metabolic pathways of the P-solubilizing bacterium Bacillus megaterium. The results showed that the BCs, DBCs, and WBCs all negatively affected the growth and AKP activity of B. megaterium, and BC500, WBC500, BC400, and WBC400 had the greatest effects. Histidine metabolism was downregulated by BC400, and nucleotide metabolism was interfered by BC600. These negative effects of high-temperature biochars were caused by environmental persistent free radicals. In contrast, the effects of low-temperature biochars on cell proliferation and AKP activity were highly related to biochar metal contents. Using the independent action model, antagonistic effects were found between the biochar dissolved and particulate fractions in inhibiting B. megaterium growth, while these biochar fractions had synergistic effects on the inhibition of AKP activity. Overall, this study provides insights into how biochar adversely modulates microbial-mediated P solubilization. |
| Key Words: biochar fraction,cell proliferation,electron paramagnetic resonance,environmental persistent free radical,enzyme activity,non-targeted metabolic profiling,phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria |
| Citation: Liu Y, Zhu L H, Zhang J Y, Wei Z, Huang X H, Steinberg C E W, Qiu H, Vijver M G, Zhao J, Peijnenburg W J G M. 2026. Mechanistic understanding of biochar-induced inhibition of Bacillus megaterium growth and soil phosphorus solubilization. Pedosphere. 36(2): 655-668. |
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