No abstract

There is a need to improve the way in which wastes, such as sewage sludges, are managed and a potential way to proceed would be to transform them into biochar. On the other hand, there is a growing interest in the use of soil biochemical properties as indicators of soil quality because they are sensitive to alterations in soil management. Thus, we have studied the effect of a biochar obtained from sewage sludge on soil biochemical properties in an organic soil using two doses of biochar and comparing these results with the control soil and with soils amended with the same two doses of unpyrolyzed sewage sludge. Microbial biomass C, soil respiration, net N mineralization and several enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, phosphomoesterase and arylsulphatase) were monitored. The geometric mean of enzyme activities (GMea) was used as a soil quality index. Individual biochemical properties showed a different response to the treatments, while GMea showed an increase in the quality of soils amended with the high biochar dose and a decrease in those amended with a high sewage sludge dose. The geometric mean of enzyme activities was a suitable index to condense the whole set of soil enzyme values in a single numerical value, which was sensitive to management practices.

Abstract. Anthropogenic activities are resulting in an increase of the use and extraction of heavy metals. Heavy metals cannot be degraded and hence accumulate in the environment, having the potential to contaminate the food chain. This pollution threatens soil quality, plant survival and human health. The remediation of heavy metals deserves attention, but it is impaired by the cost of these processes. Phytoremediation and biochar are two sound environmental technologies which could be at the forefront to mitigate soil pollution. This review provides an overview of the state of the art of the scientific research on phytoremediation and biochar application to remediate heavy-metalcontaminated soils. Research to date has attempted only in a limited number of occasions to combine both techniques, however we discuss the potential advantages of combining both, and the potential mechanisms involved in the interaction between phytoremediators and biochar. We identified specific research needs to ensure a sustainable use of phytoremediation and biochar as remediation tools.

a b s t r a c tBiochar research has focused in the last years in the use of wood or grass derived materials for carbon sequestration. However, manure derived biochar can provide other benefits after soil addition, including nutrient supply. At present, there is an incomplete understanding of pyrolysis on manures. In order to understand the benefits obtained after addition of these types of materials to the soil, an experiment involving the use of different manures and pyrolysis temperatures was performed. Five manure wastes were selected for this experiment: cattle manure (E); cattle manure mixed with straw (EP), chicken manure (G), chicken manure mixed with sawdust (GS) and pig slurry (PC). Unpyrolyzed samples were compared to biochars prepared at 300 and 500 • C. Relevant properties for agronomic purposes were determined, including pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient content, metal content, proximate analysis and carbon thermostability. Our results show that biochars tailored for different purposes can be prepared after a careful choice of feedstock and pyrolysis temperature.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Drylands (hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid ecosystems) cover almost half of Earth’s land surface and are highly vulnerable to environmental pressures. Here we provide an inventory of soil properties including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stocks within the current boundaries of drylands, aimed at serving as a benchmark in the face of future challenges including increased population, food security, desertification, and climate change. Aridity limits plant production and results in poorly developed soils, with coarse texture, low C:N and C:P, scarce organic matter, and high vulnerability to erosion. Dryland soils store 646 Pg of organic C to 2 m, the equivalent of 32% of the global soil organic C pool. The magnitude of the historic loss of C from dryland soils due to human land use and cover change and their typically low C:N and C:P suggest high potential to build up soil organic matter, but coarse soil textures may limit protection and stabilization processes. Restoring, preserving, and increasing soil organic matter in drylands may help slow down rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by sequestering C, and is strongly needed to enhance food security and reduce the risk of land degradation and desertification.