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Biochar addition drives soil aggregation and carbon sequestration in aggregate fractions from an intensive agricultural system

  • Biochar for a Sustainable Environment
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Biochar application is deemed to modify soil properties, but current research has been mostly conducted on the degraded land in tropical regions. Using six consecutive years of biochar field trial, we investigated effects of biochar on soil aggregates, structural stability, and soil organic carbon (SOC) and black C (BC) concentrations in aggregate fractions. The findings have important implications in managing soil structure and SOC sequestration in high fertility soils of the temperate areas.

Materials and methods

The study had four treatments: control; biochar rate at 4.5 (B4.5) and biochar rate at 9.0 t ha−1 year−1 (B9.0); and straw return (SR). Soil samples were collected from 0–10-cm layer, and aggregate size distribution was determined with the wet-sieving method. Then, the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates and the aggregate ratio (AR), i.e., the ratio of the >250 μm to the 53–250 μm size were calculated to assess the structural stability. Total SOC and BC concentrations in bulk soil (<2 mm) and separated fractions (i.e., >2000, 250–2000, 53–250, and <53 μm) were measured.

Results and discussion

The B4.5 and B9.0 significantly increased macroaggregate (250–2000 μm) and MWD and AR indices relative to the control. Comparing to the SR, the improvements in soil aggregation under biochar treatments were limited. Additionally, more SOC in larger fractions (>2000, 250–2000, and 53–250 μm) and BC in extracted fractions under biochar soils were observed. These results implied that biochar addition enhanced both native SOC and BC physical protection by aggregation.

Conclusions

Biochar application is effective in mediating soil aggregation, and thus improves both native SOC and BC stabilization in an intensive cropping system of North China.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000250, 31570439) and the S&T Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. We also thank the two anonymous referees for their helpful comments and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Clear Watershed Group, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China

    Zhang-Liu Du, Jian-Kun Zhao, Yi-Ding Wang & Qing-Zhong Zhang

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  1. Zhang-Liu Du
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  2. Jian-Kun Zhao
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Correspondence to Qing-Zhong Zhang.

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Responsible editor: Yong Sik Ok

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Du, ZL., Zhao, JK., Wang, YD. et al. Biochar addition drives soil aggregation and carbon sequestration in aggregate fractions from an intensive agricultural system. J Soils Sediments 17, 581–589 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1349-2

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