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Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services...
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Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 16939

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Evan A.N. Marks

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CT BETA Department, University of Vic–University of Central Catalonia, Carrer de la Laura 13, 08500 Vic, Catalonia, Spain
Interests: sustainable agriculture; soil ecology; nutrient management; soil fertility; waste valorization
Dr. Xavier Domene

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. CREAF, E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
2. Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
Interests: soil conservation; ecotoxicology; soil biodiversity; global change; nutrient dynamics; pedology

Special Issue Information

Over a decade has passed since biochar entered mainstream agronomic and soil science vocabulary. The most recent agronomic reviews and meta-analyses concur that biochar tends to have a positive influence on short and medium-term plant growth. However, biochar is not a panacea and the potential unintended consequences and risks must be understood for wider application. While primary productivity (crop production) is the main agronomic goal of biochar, biochar application might improve other ecosystem services (ES) and therefore promote an array of ES in agreement with the ecosystem multifunctionality concept—that is, promoting the co-supply of multiple benefits. However, this is not always the case and sometimes tradeoffs between ES occur, leading to unexpected negative relationships between ES. This Special Issue is especially interested in contributions that address biochar effects on more than one soil ecosystem service of contemporary importance to society, such as the following: crop yield, nutrient dynamics, effects on soil biodiversity and their soil functions; dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions from soil; interaction with and dynamics of pesticides and emerging contaminants; soil carbon sequestration applications; and water filtering and storage. Due to the large diversity of carbonaceous materials that can be applied as biochar, and the high importance of their chemical and physical properties for determining effects on soil-mediated ecosystem services in cropping systems, papers should make an effort to include a thorough characterization of the soils and biochar products considered, preferably following IBI or EBC standards, so that the effects can be properly contrasted with other studies, and authors should address the previous literature in this regard.

Dr. Evan A.N. Marks
Dr. Xavier Domene
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biochar
  • ecosystem services
  • primary production
  • soil health
  • soil biodiversity
  • nutrient dynamics
  • greenhouse gasses
  • carbon sequestration
  • pesticide adsorption and dissipation
  • emerging contaminant adsorption and dissipation
  • soil water regulation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2649 KiB  
Article
Is It Possible to Control the Nutrient Regime of Soils with Different Texture through Biochar Substrates?
by Vladimír Šimanský, Elena Aydın and Ján Horák
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010051 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1954
Abstract
Understanding nutrient management is essential to ensure healthy and adequate food production, especially in the context of biochar applied to soil with different soil textures. Additionally, farmers are beginning to understand the importance of nutrient management and there are still several knowledge gaps [...] Read more.
Understanding nutrient management is essential to ensure healthy and adequate food production, especially in the context of biochar applied to soil with different soil textures. Additionally, farmers are beginning to understand the importance of nutrient management and there are still several knowledge gaps in this area. Several studies on biochar showed its positive effects, especially in sandy and nutrient-poor soils. There is still a lack of information on the impact of biochar on nutrient regimes in texturally different soils with sufficient nutrient supply and favorable soil chemistry. This study investigates the effect of two biochar substrates (a) biochar blended with farmyard manure (BS1), and (b) biochar blended with farmyard manure and digestate (BS2) applied at rates of 10 and 20 t ha−1 alone or in combination with fertilization on the changes in sorption capacity and nutrient regime of two texturally different soils: (a) sandy Arenosol, and (b) loamy Chernozem, (both in western Slovakia) which have a favorable nutrient content. The results showed that in sandy soil, the BS2 at rate of 20 t ha−1 increased the sum of basic cations (by +112%) and CEC (by +93%) compared to the control. In sandy soil, the content of total P increased by +35 and +16% in BS1 20 t ha–1 and BS2 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to the unfertilized control. The content of total P increased by +18% in BS1 20 t ha−1 after fertilization compared to the fertilized control. In loamy soil, the content of total P increased significantly by +53 and +14% in unfertilized treatment BS2 20 t ha−1 and fertilized treatment with BS1 at 20 t ha−1 compared to the respective controls. Available Ca increased in sandy soil by +50 and +53% in fertilized treatments with BS2 at 20 t ha−1 and BS1 at 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to fertilized control. In loamy soil, available Mg increased by +13% in fertilized treatment with BS1 applied at 20 t ha−1. In conclusion, BS application at a dose of 20 t ha−1 had a stronger positive effect on soil sorption parameters in sandy soil than the application dose of 10 t ha−1. The same BS application rate significantly increased total P in both soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications)
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21 pages, 1022 KiB  
Article
Impact of Organic Amendment with Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation on Rice Yield, Water Use Efficiency and Physicochemical Properties of Soil
by Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque, Md Kamal Uddin, Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman, Adibah Mohd Amin, Mahmud Hossain, Azharuddin Abd Aziz and Mehnaz Mosharrof
Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1529; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081529 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4504
Abstract
A pot experiment was executed to investigate the impact of biochar and compost with water-saving irrigation on the rice yield, water use efficiency, and physicochemical properties of soil. Two irrigation regimes—namely alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and continuous flooding (CF)—and four types of [...] Read more.
A pot experiment was executed to investigate the impact of biochar and compost with water-saving irrigation on the rice yield, water use efficiency, and physicochemical properties of soil. Two irrigation regimes—namely alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and continuous flooding (CF)—and four types of organic amendments (OA)—namely rice husk biochar (RHB), oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar (EFBB), compost and a control—were applied to evaluate their effects. Under the AWD irrigation regime, the maximum grain was produced by RHB (241.12 g), whereas under the same organic amendments, both AWD and CF produced a similar grain yield. Under the same organic amendment, a significantly higher water use efficiency (WUE) was observed from the AWD irrigation with RHB (6.30 g L−1) and EFBB (5.80 g L−1). Within the same irrigation regime, soil pH, cation exchange capacity, total carbon, total nitrogen and available phosphorus were enhanced due to the incorporation of biochar and compost, while higher soil exchangeable potassium was observed under CF irrigation for all treatments. RHB and EFBB significantly reduced the soil bulk density (up to 20.70%) and increased porosity (up to 16.70%) under both irrigation regimes. The results imply that the use of biochar with AWD irrigation could enhance the nutrient uptake and physicochemical properties of soil and allow rice to produce a greater yield with less water consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications)
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18 pages, 3005 KiB  
Article
Application of Biochar Produced from Crop Residues on Trace Elements Contaminated Soils: Effects on Soil Properties, Enzymatic Activities and Brassica rapa Growth
by Paloma Campos, Heike Knicker, Rafael López and José María De la Rosa
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1394; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071394 - 11 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3414
Abstract
Soil pollution by trace elements is a huge problem around the globe. In addition, heavy metal immobilization and primary productivity are two soil ecosystem services of contemporary importance to society. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of using olive [...] Read more.
Soil pollution by trace elements is a huge problem around the globe. In addition, heavy metal immobilization and primary productivity are two soil ecosystem services of contemporary importance to society. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of using olive pit and rice husk biochars as soil amendments for the immobilization of trace elements and on plant development growing in heavy metals-polluted soils under greenhouse conditions. The application of high doses (5% and 10%) of biochar significantly increased pH, water holding capacity and total C content of the soils. Dehydrogenase activity in the moderately acidic soil was greater than in the acidic soil due to the high concentration of metals and high acidity of the latter. The application of biochar reduced the β–glucosidase activity. Furthermore, the concentrations of CaCl2-extractable heavy metals significantly decreased in biochar amended pots, indicating metal immobilization, which was consistent with the increase in soil pH. Distribution of trace elements in the different fractions was modified after 65 days of incubation, independently of the treatment. The Cu and Zn contents in the oxidizable fraction were reduced with incubation, whereas Cd and Zn in the residual fraction increased. The reduction of bioavailable concentrations and increments in the residual or more stable fractions indicated less risk for the organisms in the environment. All biochars addition significantly increased the root-to-shoot ratio compared to the control soil. Particularly, 10% of amendment increased this ratio in the greatest extent. The application of 10% w/w of rice husk biochar produced at 500 °C was the most effective in restoring soil functionality and reducing the availability of heavy metals in the polluted soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications)
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15 pages, 4425 KiB  
Article
Microbial Ecotoxicity of Biochars in Agricultural Soil and Interactions with Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonates
by Rasmus Nissen, Gunadhish Khanal and Lars Elsgaard
Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050828 - 23 Apr 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1931
Abstract
Large-scale application of biochar on agricultural land offers the prospect of soil improvement and carbon sequestration for climate-change mitigation. However, negative side-effects on the soil microbial ecosystem are poorly understood, notably in relation to the functions of native microbiomes under realistic routes of [...] Read more.
Large-scale application of biochar on agricultural land offers the prospect of soil improvement and carbon sequestration for climate-change mitigation. However, negative side-effects on the soil microbial ecosystem are poorly understood, notably in relation to the functions of native microbiomes under realistic routes of biochar exposure. Due to divergent properties, different biochars might interact with soil in complex ways. This might result in decreased or increased ecotoxicity from biochar contaminants, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Using five biochars produced from straw and wood under contrasting pyrolysis conditions, we traced their ecotoxicological dose-effect using a bioassay for potential ammonia oxidation (PAO), through microorganisms that are sensitive stress indicators. Assays were made after soil/biochar interaction for up to 3 weeks, where straw biochar with the lowest PAH content (<0.5 mg kg−1) showed the most pronounced dose-effects to PAO, corresponding to a 10% effect concentration (EC10) of 4.6% (dry weight biochar/dry weight soil). In comparison, straw biochar with the highest PAH content was least ecotoxic (EC10, 15.2% after 3 weeks) and wood biochars pyrolysed at high temperature (700–725 °C) showed no ecotoxicity to PAO. Interactions between biochars and anionic surfactants, i.e., linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, which are common soil pollutants, resulted in varying effects on PAO, but the effects were small and of limited ecological importance for soil-amended biochars. In conclusion, the results showed that short-term microbial side-effects of biochar in the soil ecosystem were minor at relevant field application rates (such as <30 Mg ha−1 mixed into a plough layer of 20 cm), and that inherent PAHs in biochar were not a likely source of short-term ecotoxicity. However, there were notable differences in the effects eventually observed at very high biochar rates, stressing that individual biochars need specific ecotoxicological assessment before their safe application at large scale in agricultural soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications)
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20 pages, 2112 KiB  
Article
Modeling Water Flow and Phosphorus Sorption in a Soil Amended with Sewage Sludge and Olive Pomace as Compost or Biochar
by Vilim Filipović, Marko Černe, Jiří Šimůnek, Lana Filipović, Marija Romić, Gabrijel Ondrašek, Igor Bogunović, Ivan Mustać, Vedran Krevh, Anja Ferenčević, David Robinson, Igor Palčić, Igor Pasković, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Zoran Užila and Dean Ban
Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10081163 - 08 Aug 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3750
Abstract
Organic amendments are often reported to improve soil properties, promote plant growth, and improve crop yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the biochar and compost produced from sewage sludge and olive pomace on soil hydraulic properties, water flow, and P [...] Read more.
Organic amendments are often reported to improve soil properties, promote plant growth, and improve crop yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the biochar and compost produced from sewage sludge and olive pomace on soil hydraulic properties, water flow, and P transport (i.e., sorption) using numerical modeling (HYDRUS-1D) applied to two soil types (Terra Rosa and Rendzina). Evaporation and leaching experiments on soil cores and repacked soil columns were performed to determine the soil water retention, hydraulic conductivity, P leaching potential, and P sorption capacity of these mixtures. In the majority of treatments, the soil water retention showed a small increase compared to the control soil. A reliable fit with the modified van Genuchten model was found, which was also confirmed by water flow modeling of leaching experiments (R2 0.99). The results showed a high P sorption in all the treatments (Kd 21.24 to 53.68 cm3 g−1), and a high model reliability when the inverse modeling procedure was used (R2 0.93–0.99). Overall, adding sewage sludge or olive pomace as compost or biochar improved the Terra Rosa and Rendzina water retention and did not increase the P mobility in these soils, proving to be a sustainable source of carbon and P-rich materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits and Risks of Biochar Use for Soil Ecosystem Services in Agronomic Applications)
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