Stabilization of Organic Matter by Biochar Application in Compost-amended Soils with Contrasting pH Values and Textures

Shih-Hao Jien, Chung-Chi Wang, Chia-Hsing Lee and Tsung-Yu Lee
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Shih-Hao Jien: Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan
Chung-Chi Wang: Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan
Chia-Hsing Lee: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Tsung-Yu Lee: Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Food demand and soil sustainability have become urgent concerns because of the impacts of global climate change. In subtropical and tropical regions, practical management that stabilizes and prevents organic fertilizers from rapid decomposition in soils is necessary. This study conducted a short-term (70 days) incubation experiment to assess the effects of biochar application on the decomposition of added bagasse compost in three rural soils with different pH values and textures. Two rice hull biochars, produced through slow pyrolization at 400 °C (RHB-400) and 700 °C (RHB-700), with application rates of 1%, 2%, and 4% ( w/w ), were separately incorporated into soils with and without compost (1% ( w/w ) application rate). Experimental results indicated that C mineralization rapidly increased at the beginning in all treatments, particularly in those involving 2% and 4% biochar. The biochar addition increased C mineralization by 7.9%–48% in the compost-amended soils after 70 days incubation while the fractions of mineralized C to applied C significantly decreased. Moreover, the estimated maximum of C mineralization amount in soils treated with both compost and biochar were obviously lower than expectation calculated by a double exponential model (two pool model). Based on the micromorphological observation, added compost was wrapped in the soil aggregates formed after biochar application and then may be protected from decomposing by microbes. Co-application of compost with biochar may be more efficient to stabilize and sequester C than individual application into the studied soils, especially for the biochar produced at high pyrolization temperature.

Keywords: biochar; compost; carbon mineralization; carbon sequestration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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