Biochar Effects on Soil Aggregate Properties Under No-Till Maize

Khademalrasoul, Ataallah; Naveed, Muhammad; Heckrath, G.; Kumari, Khushbu; Jonge, Lis Wollesen de; Elsgaard, Lars; Vogel, Hans‐Jörg; Iversen, Bo V.

doi:10.1097/ss.0000000000000069

Cited by 59 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…A recent study by Kumari et al (2017) of the effect of birch-wood-derived biochar on the dispersibility of colloids in sandy loam soil found the content of water-dispersible colloids increased with the rate of application of biochar. Consequently, the increase in clay dispersibility after biochar amendment might lead to a decrease in soil structural stability (Khademalrasoul et al, 2014;Amoakwah et al, 2017a). The inconsistent changes in the aggregate stability suggest that the effects of biochar are likely to be site specific and involve many factors (e.g.…”

Section: Effects Of Biochar and Straw Incorporation On Aggregate-sizementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Peng et al (2011) and Rahman et al (2017) have shown that the amendment of straw biochar had no effect on the water stability of clay soil. The reduced soil structural stability after adding biochar may be ascribed to increased clay dispersibility through its influence on soil pH, ionic strength, zeta potential and moisture content (Khademalrasoul et al, 2014;Amoakwah et al, 2017a). Hardie et al (2014) also found that water retention of a sandy loam was not affected by biochar from tree waste.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Biochar enhances soil hydraulic function but not soil aggregation in a sandy loam

Zhou

Fang

Zhang

et al. 2018

European J Soil Science

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Summary Biochar has the potential to modify soil structure and soil hydraulic properties because of its small particle density, highly porous structure, grain size distribution and surface chemistry. However, knowledge of the long‐term effects of biochar on soil physical properties under field conditions is limited. Using an 8‐year field trial, we investigated the effects of successive additions of high‐dose maize‐cob‐derived biochar (9.0 t ha−1 year−1, HB), low‐dose maize‐cob‐derived biochar (4.5 t ha−1 year−1, LB), straw return (SR) and control (no biochar or straw, CK) on soil aggregate distribution, three‐dimensional (3‐D) pore structure, hydraulic conductivity and water retention in the upper 10 cm of a sandy loam soil from the North China Plain. Results showed that LB and HB treatments increased soil organic C content by 61.0–116.3% relative to CK. Interestingly, biochar amendment did not enhance the proportion of macroaggregates (> 2 and 0.25–2 mm) or aggregate stability, indicating limited positive effects on soil aggregation. The HB treatment decreased soil bulk density, and increased total porosity and macroporosity (> 30 μm). The retention of soil water, including gravitational water (0–33 kPa), capillary water (33–3100 kPa) and hygroscopic water (> 3100 kPa), was improved under HB soil. The HB and LB treatments increased plant‐available water content by 17.8 and 10.1%, respectively, compared with CK. In contrast, SR showed no significant increase in soil porosity and water retention capacity but improved the water stability of macroaggregates. We concluded that biochar used in the coarse‐textured soil enhanced saturated hydraulic conductivity and water‐holding capacity, but did not improve soil aggregation. Highlights Pore structure and hydraulic properties were studied in an 8‐year biochar‐amended sandy loam. HB (high‐dose biochar) increased total soil porosity and CT‐identified macroporosity (> 30 μm). Water retention improved under HB soil. Biochar addition had no effect on the formation of macroaggregates.

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Section: Effects Of Biochar and Straw Incorporation On Aggregate-sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Biochar enhances soil hydraulic function but not soil aggregation in a sandy loam

Zhou

Fang

Zhang

et al. 2018

European J Soil Science

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“…For example, biochar combined with animal manure could increase soil aggregation compared with biochar alone as manure could provide labile or transient organic binding agents to bind biochar and inorganic particles into stable aggregates (Khademalrasoul et al, 2014). Biochar could also improve the efficiency of N fertilizer for crop production (Chan et al, 2007), but the effects of biochar × N fertilizer interactions on soil physical properties have not been studied in depth.…”

Section: Amendmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…· In some sandy soils, application of biochar and animal manure together can improve soil structure by bonding soil particles into strong aggregates and thus increasing tensile strength (Khademalrasoul et al, 2014). Organic amendments have aggregating effects in soils with low aggregate strength.…”

Section: Tensile Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar and Soil Physical Properties

Blanco‐Canqui

2017

Soil Science Society of America Journal

699

374

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Biochar is considered to be a potential soil amendment. However, its implications for soil physical and hydraulic properties have not been widely discussed. Changes in the soil physical environment influence the numerous services that soils provide. This paper (i) reviewed the impacts of biochar on soil compaction, mechanical, structural, hydraulic, and thermal properties; (ii) discussed factors affecting biochar performance; and (iii) identified research areas. Biochar generally reduces soil bulk density by 3 to 31%, increases porosity by 14 to 64%, and has limited or no effects on penetration resistance. Biochar increases wet aggregate stability by 3 to 226%, improves soil consistency, and has mixed effects on dry soil aggregate stability. It increases available water by 4 to 130%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity decreases in coarse-textured soils, and increases in fine-textured soils following biochar application. Studies on other properties are few but suggest that biochar reduces tensile strength and particle density, alters water infiltration, moderates soil thermal properties, and has minimal effect on soil water repellency. Sandy soils appear to respond more to biochar than clayey soils. Biochar effectiveness increases as the amount of biochar applied increases. A decrease in biochar particle size can increase water retention but may reduce saturated flow. Field-scale and long-term studies assessing all soil physical properties under different scenarios of biochar management are needed. Overall, biochar generally improves the soil physical environment, but long-term field studies are lacking to conclusively ascertain the extent of biochar effects.Abbreviations: COLE, coefficient of linear extensibility; WDPT, water drop penetration test

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“…Macro‐aggregation increase is consistent with that described by Khademalrasoul et al . (). Unlike, Gul et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effects of Biochar and Marble mud on Mine Waste Properties to Reclaim Tailing Ponds

et al. 2016

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The effects of biochar addition in improving soil physical properties are not clearly understood in mining tailings. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of three different types of biochars, in addition to marble mud (MM) and their mixtures, on the structural stability and water retention of mine wastes in Cartagena, Spain. Biochars were produced at 500°C from pig manure (PM), cotton (Gossipium hirsutum L.) crop residues (CR) and municipal solid waste (MSW). Biochars were added to the mine waste (MW) along with MM and a control (no amendments added). These mixtures were incubated in cores for 90 days (25°C). PM and CR mixed with MM decreased soil bulk density (from 0 · 98 g cm -3 to 0 · 89 and 0 · 84 g cm À3 , respectively). Amendments had no significant effect on total porosity whereas they increased gas diffusion by 100%, except for MSW. MM improved the plant available water from 0 · 59 to 2 · 56 cm as its combination with biochars, extremely relevant in water scarce climates. The micropores were likely replaced by mesopores when application of PM, CR, MM, and biochars + MM and they improved water retention. Total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) increased by using biochars and MM and no significant effects were assessed on aggregates. In general, MM mixed with PM and CR derived biochar improved the structural stability and exhibited a strong impact in reclaiming physical quality on mine tailings.

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Biochar Effects on Soil Aggregate Properties Under No-Till Maize

Cited by 59 publications

References 3 publications

Biochar enhances soil hydraulic function but not soil aggregation in a sandy loam

Biochar enhances soil hydraulic function but not soil aggregation in a sandy loam

Biochar and Soil Physical Properties

Effects of Biochar and Marble mud on Mine Waste Properties to Reclaim Tailing Ponds

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