Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis

Abstract Biochar is well-accepted as a viable climate mitigation strategy to promote agricultural and environmental benefits such as soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, its effects on soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) in field experime...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yogesh Kumar, Wei Ren, Haiying Tao, Bo Tao, Laura E. Lindsey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-01-01
Series:Biochar
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00391-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841559115610980352
author Yogesh Kumar
Wei Ren
Haiying Tao
Bo Tao
Laura E. Lindsey
author_facet Yogesh Kumar
Wei Ren
Haiying Tao
Bo Tao
Laura E. Lindsey
author_sort Yogesh Kumar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Biochar is well-accepted as a viable climate mitigation strategy to promote agricultural and environmental benefits such as soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, its effects on soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) in field experiments have not yet been thoroughly explored. In this study, we collected 539 paired globally published observations to study the impacts of biochar on SMBC under field experiments. Our results suggested an overall positive impact of biochar (21.31%) on SMBC, varying widely with different climate conditions, soil types, biochar properties, and management practices. Biochar application exhibits significant impacts under climates with mean annual temperature (MAT) < 15 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) between 500 and 1000 mm. Soils of coarse and fine texture, alkaline pH (SPH), soil total organic carbon (STC) content up to 10 g/kg, soil total nitrogen (STN) content up to 1.5 g/kg, and low soil cation exchange capacity (SCEC) content of < 5 cmol/kg received higher positive effects of biochar application on SMBC. Biochar produced from crop residue, specifically from cotton and maize residue, at pyrolysis temperature (BTM) of < 400 °C, with a pH (BPH) between 8 and 9, low application rate (BAP) of < 10 t/ha, and high ash content (BASH) > 400 g/kg resulted in an increase in SMBC. Low biochar total carbon (BTC) and high total nitrogen (BTN) positively affect the SMBC. Repeated application significantly increased the SMBC by 50.11%, and fresh biochar in the soil (≤ 6 months) enhanced SMBC compared to the single application and aged biochar. Biochar applied with nitrogen fertilizer (up to 300 kg/ha) and manure/compost showed significant improvements in SMBC, but co-application with straw resulted in a slight negative impact on the SMBC. The best-fit gradient boosting machines model, which had the lowest root mean square error, demonstrated the relative importance of various factors on biochar effectiveness: biochar, soil, climate, and nitrogen applications at 46.2%, 38.1%, 8.3%, and 7.4%, respectively. Soil clay proportion, BAP, nitrogen application, and MAT were the most critical variables for biochar impacts on SMBC. The results showed that biochar efficiency varies significantly in different climatic conditions, soil environments, field management practices, biochar properties, and feedstock types. Our meta-analysis of field experiments provides the first quantitative review of biochar impacts on SMBC, demonstrating its potential for rehabilitating nutrient-deprived soils and promoting sustainable land management. To improve the efficiency of biochar amendment, we call for long-term field experiments to measure SMBC across diverse agroecosystems. Graphical Abstract
format Article
id doaj-art-0b02fb6a50bc4c3da7ed1cd348a16885
institution Kabale University
issn 2524-7867
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Biochar
spelling doaj-art-0b02fb6a50bc4c3da7ed1cd348a168852025-01-05T12:42:24ZengSpringerBiochar2524-78672025-01-017112210.1007/s42773-024-00391-6Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysisYogesh Kumar0Wei Ren1Haiying Tao2Bo Tao3Laura E. Lindsey4Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of ConnecticutDepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of ConnecticutDepartment of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of ConnecticutDepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of ConnecticutHorticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State UniversityAbstract Biochar is well-accepted as a viable climate mitigation strategy to promote agricultural and environmental benefits such as soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, its effects on soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) in field experiments have not yet been thoroughly explored. In this study, we collected 539 paired globally published observations to study the impacts of biochar on SMBC under field experiments. Our results suggested an overall positive impact of biochar (21.31%) on SMBC, varying widely with different climate conditions, soil types, biochar properties, and management practices. Biochar application exhibits significant impacts under climates with mean annual temperature (MAT) < 15 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) between 500 and 1000 mm. Soils of coarse and fine texture, alkaline pH (SPH), soil total organic carbon (STC) content up to 10 g/kg, soil total nitrogen (STN) content up to 1.5 g/kg, and low soil cation exchange capacity (SCEC) content of < 5 cmol/kg received higher positive effects of biochar application on SMBC. Biochar produced from crop residue, specifically from cotton and maize residue, at pyrolysis temperature (BTM) of < 400 °C, with a pH (BPH) between 8 and 9, low application rate (BAP) of < 10 t/ha, and high ash content (BASH) > 400 g/kg resulted in an increase in SMBC. Low biochar total carbon (BTC) and high total nitrogen (BTN) positively affect the SMBC. Repeated application significantly increased the SMBC by 50.11%, and fresh biochar in the soil (≤ 6 months) enhanced SMBC compared to the single application and aged biochar. Biochar applied with nitrogen fertilizer (up to 300 kg/ha) and manure/compost showed significant improvements in SMBC, but co-application with straw resulted in a slight negative impact on the SMBC. The best-fit gradient boosting machines model, which had the lowest root mean square error, demonstrated the relative importance of various factors on biochar effectiveness: biochar, soil, climate, and nitrogen applications at 46.2%, 38.1%, 8.3%, and 7.4%, respectively. Soil clay proportion, BAP, nitrogen application, and MAT were the most critical variables for biochar impacts on SMBC. The results showed that biochar efficiency varies significantly in different climatic conditions, soil environments, field management practices, biochar properties, and feedstock types. Our meta-analysis of field experiments provides the first quantitative review of biochar impacts on SMBC, demonstrating its potential for rehabilitating nutrient-deprived soils and promoting sustainable land management. To improve the efficiency of biochar amendment, we call for long-term field experiments to measure SMBC across diverse agroecosystems. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00391-6BiocharCharMicrobial biomass carbonMicrobial activity
spellingShingle Yogesh Kumar
Wei Ren
Haiying Tao
Bo Tao
Laura E. Lindsey
Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
Biochar
Biochar
Char
Microbial biomass carbon
Microbial activity
title Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
title_full Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
title_fullStr Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
title_short Impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments: a meta-analysis
title_sort impact of biochar amendment on soil microbial biomass carbon enhancement under field experiments a meta analysis
topic Biochar
Char
Microbial biomass carbon
Microbial activity
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00391-6
work_keys_str_mv AT yogeshkumar impactofbiocharamendmentonsoilmicrobialbiomasscarbonenhancementunderfieldexperimentsametaanalysis
AT weiren impactofbiocharamendmentonsoilmicrobialbiomasscarbonenhancementunderfieldexperimentsametaanalysis
AT haiyingtao impactofbiocharamendmentonsoilmicrobialbiomasscarbonenhancementunderfieldexperimentsametaanalysis
AT botao impactofbiocharamendmentonsoilmicrobialbiomasscarbonenhancementunderfieldexperimentsametaanalysis
AT lauraelindsey impactofbiocharamendmentonsoilmicrobialbiomasscarbonenhancementunderfieldexperimentsametaanalysis