Interactive carbon priming, microbial response and biochar persistence in a Vertisol with varied inputs of biochar and labile organic matter
Abstract
There has been great interest in biochar application to soil for long‐term carbon (C) sequestration. However, the interactive priming of organic C mineralization, including shifts in microbial community structure and the persistence of biochar in a clayey soil amended with biochar and labile organic matter (LOM) over a relatively long period (i.e. years) remain poorly understood. A 2‐year incubation study was carried out with δ 13 C‐depleted biochars produced from Eucalyptus saligna Sm. wood biomass at 450 and 550°C. Each of the biochars (at 2%, w/w) in combination with LOM, such as sugarcane residue at input rates of 0, 1, 2 or 4% w/w, were mixed with a C 4 ‐dominated Vertisol. The interactive effect of biochar and LOM on the structure of the microbial community was analysed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP). Our results showed that at the small LOM rates (0 and 1%), there was a positive priming effect of biochar on organic C in soil (i.e. native soil organic C (SOC) + LOM‐C)), which shifted to being negative when the LOM input was increased to 2 or 4%. Over the 2 years, mineralization of C from the 450°C biochar (1.2–1.7%) was significantly greater than that for 550°C biochar (0.6–1.0%), and the positively primed mineralization of biochar‐C by LOM was enhanced by the increasing rates of LOM input. The negative priming of native SOC + LOM‐C mineralization by biochar was greater at large than small inputs of LOM, which would have been facilitated by greater shifting in fungal communities, while enhancing biochar‐C mineralization and possibly soil aggregation. In conclusion, over the long term, the amount of LOM stabilized by biochar was greater than that of positively primed biochar‐C mineralization by LOM, in particular at the large LOM input. Biochar can persist in soil on a centennial scale and decreases the turnover of native SOC + LOM‐C over the long term, whereas LOM input can shift microbial communities, favouring LOM stabilization in the biochar‐amended Vertisol. Highlights: Do C priming, biochar persistence and microbial response change 2 years after biochar–LOM inputs? Examined interactive C priming (stable‐C isotope), microbial community structure and biochar MRT. Priming of SOC ± LOM‐C by biochar and vice‐versa increased with LOM inputs. Biochar–LOM interaction (2‐year) shifted microorganisms, favouring LOM‐C stabilization in a Vertisol.
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Positive priming is induced via the addition of fresh labile carbon which can stimulate the activities of soil microorganisms, thus accelerating the carbon mineralization process.
“Positive priming is induced via the addition of fresh labile carbon which can stimulate the activities of soil microorganisms, thus accelerating the carbon mineralization process (Fang et al. 2019; Keith et al. 2011; Zimmerman and Ouyang 2019).”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Fang et al. 2019
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- Authors
- Fang, Y., Singh, B. P., Nazaries, L., Keith, A., Tavakkoli, E., Wilson, N., & Singh, B.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Western Sydney University (AU)
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Fang, Yunying
- Venue
- European Journal of Soil Science
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-04-29
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 960-974
- ISSN
- 1351-0754 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2389
- OpenAlex
- W2922152380
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 4.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Soil Science (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Government under its Climate Change Research Program
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
- Keywords
- biochar, carbon priming, labile organic matter, soil organic carbon mineralization, microbial community structure, fungal communities, soil carbon sequestration, Vertisols, sugarcane waste, biochar pyrolysis temperature, soil aggregation, long-term incubation
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