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Cited by 937Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsAgricultural Science and FertilizationSoil Management and Crop Yield

Biochar mediated changes in soil quality and plant growth in a three year field trial

Jones, D.L., Rousk, J., Edwards-Jones, G., DeLuca, T.H., Murphy, D.V.·2012·Soil Biology and Biochemistry
DOI 10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.10.012
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Abstract

While many laboratory studies have focused on the short term effects of biochar addition to soil), there have been comparatively few tracing its longer term effects in the field. This study investigated the multiyear impact of biochar on crop performance and soil quality with specific emphasis on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling over a 3 y period. Biochar was added to an agricultural field at 0, 25 and 50tha⁻¹ and planted with maize (year 1) and grass (years 2 and 3). Biochar addition affected plant performance in the grass crop with significant increases in foliar N (year 2) and above-ground biomass (year 3). Below-ground, biochar increased soil respiration, fungal and bacterial growth rate and turnover in year 2. This change coincided with a shift toward a bacterial dominated decomposer community, suggesting a decrease in the potential for microbially mediated C sequestration. Biochar did not affect dissolved organic C (DOC) and N (DON), NO₃ ⁻ or NH₄ ⁺ pool sizes. Similarly, biochar addition had limited effects on the turnover of ¹⁴C-labelled SOC (plant litter), DOC (sugars and organic acids) and DON (amino acids) and no long term effect on N mineralization, NH₃ volatilization, denitrification and NH₄ ⁺ sorption. After 3 years in the field, the alkalinity associated with the biochar had been fully neutralized and biochar lost most of its cations (K, Na, Ca) but had built up an associated microbial community. We conclude that biochar addition to soil causes small and potentially transient changes in a temperate agroecosystem functioning. Importantly, many of the short-term effects of biochar on plant growth and soil behavior reported from laboratory studies were not observed in the field emphasizing the need for long term field trials to help inform agronomic management decisions involving biochar.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.10.012

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  • Short-term initial effects on N pool dynamics observed in short term field studies and lab incubations were not persistent in longer term trials.

    “Given that short-term initial effects on N pool dynamics, observed in short term field studies and lab incubations, were not persistent in these longer term trials [26]”

    From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Jones et al. measured higher growth rates of bacteria and fungi after incorporating biochar.

    “the study of Jones et al. [26] has measured higher growth rates of bacteria and fungi after incorporating biochar”

    From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [26]

  • The effect of higher growth rates of bacteria and fungi after incorporating biochar was not observed after storage of soil in the laboratory.

    “but this effect was not observed after storage of soil in the laboratory”

    From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Jones et al. (2012) reported that commercially available biochars derived from Fraxinus excelsior L., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L. pyrolyzed at 450°C for 48 h did not affect dissolved organic N (DON), NO3- or NH4+-N contents in the soil.

    “Jones et al. (2012), however, reported that commercially available biochars derived from mechanically chipped trunks and large branches of Fraxinus excelsior L., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L. pyrolyzed at 450 o C for 48 h did not affect the dissolved organic N (DON), NO3 - - or NH4 + -N contents in the soil.”

    From A review on biochar modulated soil condition improvements and nutrient dynamics concerning crop yields: Pathways to climate change mitigation and global food security (2019) · cites this paper as Jones et al., 2012

  • Biochar added to an agricultural field at 0, 25 and 50 t ha−1 and planted with maize (1st year) and grass (2nd and 3rd years) in an acidic sandy loam soil affected plant performance in the grass crop with significant increase in foliar N (2nd year) and aboveground biomass (3rd year), but behaved neutral towards maize crop yield.

    “Biochar was added to an agricultural field at three different doses (0, 25 and 50 t ha -1 ) and planted with maize (1 st year) and grass (2 nd and 3 rd years) in an acidic sandy loam soil where the biochar addition affected plant performance in the grass crop with significant increase in foliar N (2 nd year) and aboveground biomass (3 rd year), but biochar treatment behaved neutral”

    From A review on biochar modulated soil condition improvements and nutrient dynamics concerning crop yields: Pathways to climate change mitigation and global food security (2019) · cites this paper as Jones et al., 2012

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Authors
Jones, D. L., Rousk, J., Edwards-Jones, G., DeLuca, T. H., & Murphy, D. V.
Affiliations
  • Bangor University (GB)
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
Jones, D.L.
ORCID
Venue
Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-02
Volume
45
Pages
113-124
ISSN
0038-0717 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.10.012
OpenAlex
W2062882746
Cited by
937
References
76
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 85 · 2020: 92 · 2019: 77 · 2018: 62 · 2017: 85 · 2016: 74 · 2015: 65 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 37 · 2012: 13
FWCI
59.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Soil Biology and Biochemistry (publishedVersion)
  • Murdoch University Research Portal (submittedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Vetenskapsrådet
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Agricultural Science and Fertilization
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
Keywords
biochar, soil quality, plant growth, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycling, soil respiration, microbial communities, soil carbon sequestration, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, soil organic carbon turnover, nitrogen mineralization, denitrification, ammonia volatilization, ammonium sorption, maize, grass crops, long-term field experiment

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