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Microbial community shifts 2.6 years after top dressing of Miscanthus biochar, hydrochar and feedstock on a temperate grassland site

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Abstract

Background and aims

Within the last decades, considerable knowledge has been gained on the impacts of carbonaceous soil additives such as hydrochar (or HTC) and biochar (or pyrochar) on plant growth and various soil properties. However, still little is known about the effects of hydrochar and biochar on soil microorganisms, especially from field studies. Microorganisms are closely linked to nutrient dynamics in soil and therefore are tightly linked to soil fertility. As a consequence, possible changes in the microbial community structure due to HTC/biochar soil application may lead to considerable changes in soil nutrient dynamics.

Methods

To gain insights into HTC/biochar associated long-term effects on microorganisms, soil samples were taken from a grassland field study 2.6 years (31 months) after its initiation (April 2011), where Miscanthus × giganteus feedstock, HTC and biochar, each mixed with pig slurry had been applied as top-dressing in a randomized block design, next to a slurry-only control (n = 4, 16 plots). The samples were analyzed for microbial activity and biomass by substrate induced respiration (SIR). Bacterial and fungal fractions in soil microbial biomass (SMB) were determined using the inhibitors streptomycin and cycloheximide respectively.

Results

Total SMB in biochar-amended soils was significantly higher compared to all other treatments; fungal biomass was significantly higher compared to feedstock and control treatments. The percentage of bacterial biomass was higher in the feedstock and HTC amended soil, as compared to the control. Additionally, HTC exhibited a significantly higher percentage of fungal biomass compared to the feedstock treatment, indicating a microbial community shift.

Conclusion

While the uncarbonized feedstock material depleted both total SMB and especially fungi, HTC and biochar did not trigger any adverse long-term effects on SMB. Rather, the observed biochar-induced stimulation of SMB may improve soil aggregation and increase the soil organic carbon content in the long term.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Gerhard Mayer, Nicol Strasilla and Christian Eckhardt for providing technical assistance with the experimental setup. This study was financed by the Hessian Agency for Environment and Geology, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Plant Ecology (IFZ), Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35390, Giessen, Germany

    David Rex, Sonja Schimmelpfennig, Anne Jansen-Willems, Gerald Moser, Claudia Kammann & Christoph Müller

  2. Institute for Special Cultures under Climate Change, Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366, Geisenheim, Germany

    Claudia Kammann

  3. Teagasc Johnstown Castle Research Centre, Wexford, Co., Wexford, Ireland

    Anne Jansen-Willems

  4. School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Christoph Müller

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  1. David Rex
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  2. Sonja Schimmelpfennig
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  3. Anne Jansen-Willems
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  4. Gerald Moser
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  5. Claudia Kammann
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Correspondence to Sonja Schimmelpfennig.

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Responsible Editor: Simon Jeffery.

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Figure S1

Measurement result of a single jar with control soil during basal respiration of SIR (a) and during plateau period of SIR (b), given by Licor 8100. (JPEG 97 kb)

Figure S2

General scheme of SIR, based on the findings of Anderson and Domsch (1973) and DIN ISO (17155:2011–06 2011). (JPEG 41 kb)

Figure S3

Absolute and percental fractions of bacteria and fungi in total respiration. (JPEG 78.1 kb)

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Rex, D., Schimmelpfennig, S., Jansen-Willems, A. et al. Microbial community shifts 2.6 years after top dressing of Miscanthus biochar, hydrochar and feedstock on a temperate grassland site. Plant Soil 397, 261–271 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2618-y

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