Maize biochars accelerate short-term soil nitrogen dynamics in a loamy sand soil
Abstract
Biochar addition to soils has been proposed as a means to increase soil fertility and carbon sequestration. However, its effect on soil nitrogen (N) cycling and N availability is poorly understood. To gain better insight into the short-term effects of biochar on gross N transformation processes, a ¹âµN tracing experiment in combination with numerical data analysis was conducted. An arable loamy sand soil was used and mixed with two silage maize biochars, produced at 350 °C and 550 °C. The results showed accelerated soil N cycling following biochar addition, with increased gross N mineralization (185â221%), nitrification (10â69%) and ammonium (NHâ âº) consumption rates (333â508%). Moreover, transfer of N from a recalcitrant soil organic N (Náµ£âc) pool to a more labile soil organic N (Nââb) pool was observed. In the control treatment, 8% of the NHâ ⺠mineralized from Nââb was immobilized to the Náµ£âc pool. In contrast, 79% and 55% of the NHâ ⺠mineralized from Náµ£âc were immobilized to the Nââb pool in the treatment with biochar-350 °C and biochar-550 °C, respectively. NHâ âºâN was adsorbed quickly to biochar at the start of the experiment, thereby buffering plant-available N. In conclusion, these types of biochar accelerated soil N transformations in the short term, thereby increasing soil N bio-availability, through a combined effect of mineralization of the recalcitrant soil organic N pool and subsequent NHâ ⺠immobilization in a labile soil organic N pool.
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Mineralization in the control was mainly from a labile N pool.
“whereas mineralization in the control was mainly from a labile N pool.”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
Most of the N mineralized came from a more recalcitrant fraction.
“with most of the N coming from a more recalcitrant fraction”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
Gross N mineralization was stimulated by biochar addition.
“The authors found that gross N mineralization was stimulated by biochar addition”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
Biochar stimulation of gross nitrification in an agricultural soil was due to increased mineralization of NH4+ from the recalcitrant soil N pool.
“showed that it was due to increased mineralization of NH 4 + from the recalcitrant soil N pool”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
The flux of NH4+ mineralization was larger than the simultaneous incorporation of NH4+ into the labile soil N pool.
“where the flux was larger than the simultaneous incorporation of NH4 + into the labile soil N pool.”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
The increase in gross nitrification was mainly due to an increase in the NH4+ substrate supply.
“Thus, the authors reasoned that the increase in gross nitrification was mainly due to an increase in the NH 4 + substrate supply.”
From A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics (2013) · cites this paper as [67]
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- Authors
- Nelissen, V., Rütting, T., Huygens, D., Staelens, J., Ruysschaert, G., & Boeckx, P.
- Affiliations
- Ghent University (BE)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- Austral University of Chile (CL)
- Instituut voor Landbouw en Visserijonderzoek (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Nelissen, Victoria
- Venue
- Soil Biology and Biochemistry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-12
- Volume
- 55
- Pages
- 20-27
- ISSN
- 0038-0717 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2061656902
- Cited by
- 364
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 11
- FWCI
- 25.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soil Biology and Biochemistry (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Interreg IVB
- Multidisciplinary Research Partnership Ghent Bio-economy
- Flanders (FWO)
- 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
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Keywords
- biochar, soil nitrogen cycling, nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, ammonium immobilization, ammonium adsorption, 15N tracing, loamy sand soil, biochar pyrolysis temperature, nitrogen availability
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