Biochar for the mitigation of nitrate leaching from soil amended with biosolids

Knowles, O.A.; Robinson, Brett; Contangelo, A.; Clucas, Lynne

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.05.011

Cited by 221 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Indeed, previous studies suggested that the higher availability of some macro-and micronutrients in these soils could exert a positive effects on microbial communities, as in the case of the south American Terra Preta soils (Glaser et al 2001, Lehmann et al 2003, Kim et al 2007) and charcoal hearths in the Alpine region (Criscuoli et al 2014). In this context, our results are in line with the positive effect of charcoal on nutrient availability (especially due to the reduced leaching of nitrogen) reported in several agricultural biochar studies (Bell & Worrall 2011, Knowles et al 2011, Ventura et al 2012). …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Former charcoal platforms in Mediterranean forest areas: a hostile microhabitat for the recolonization by woody species

Carrari¹,

Ampoorter²,

Verheyen³

et al. 2017

iForest

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Production of wood charcoal is a traditional form of forest use that lasted for millennia in the Mediterranean countries. Following their almost complete abandonment in the last century, thousands of old charcoal platforms remain in present-day forest landscapes. These sites are characterized by peculiar ecological conditions, whose effects on the recolonization by woody plants are still unknown. We examined 61 platforms in evergreen sclerophyllous woodlands and deciduous broadleaf forests with oaks and beech, spread over a wide geographic range in Tuscany (Italy). At each site, one kiln plot (on charcoal platform) and one control plot (in the adjacent stand) were established, and soil, light conditions and herb cover were measured. We examined species richness and composition of trees and shrubs in the understorey layer (<1.3 m) and in the "established regeneration" layer (> 1.3-4 m). In the latter, structural parameters such as number of stools, dbh, mean height and number of stems were compared. The density of seedlings of dominant tree species in the understorey was also measured in a subsample of sites per forest type. In the understorey, a general positive effect of kiln platforms was found on species richness at both the habitat and plot-scale level, as well as on species composition, especially in oak forests. Increased light availability, total C content and soil pH were positively related with species richness, while N content was a negative predictor. Density of seedlings was not substantially affected. Contrastingly, woody species richness in the established regeneration layer was considerably lower in the kiln plots of all three forest types. In sclerophyllous forests, all species in this layer were taller, denser and with a higher basal area compared to control plots, while regeneration was completely lacking on platforms of the two other forest types. Soil N content had a positive influence on structural parameters, while total C content resulting from charcoal accumulation had a negative influence. We conclude that charcoal platforms are a favorable microhabitat only in the first regeneration stages of woody species, as their further growth is hindered by long-term effects that should be investigated with an experimental approach.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Former charcoal platforms in Mediterranean forest areas: a hostile microhabitat for the recolonization by woody species

Carrari¹,

Ampoorter²,

Verheyen³

et al. 2017

iForest

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“…The use of biochar as soil amendment has gained attention as a valid strategy to mitigate global climate change, by sequestering atmospheric CO2 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Laird, 2008), improve physicochemical and microbiological soil properties (Gul et al, 2015), enhance plant growth and crop yield (Vaccari et al, 2011). What is specifically relevant to our study is that biochar seems to have the potential to reduce NO3 -leaching (Knowles et al, 2011). Mechanism of decreased nitrate leaching were found to be the adsorption of NO3 -on anion exchange surface of biochar, particularly when biochar was obtained at high temperatures (>600°C); the inhibited nitrification and thus the decreased nitrate production; the N immobilisation due to the presence of labile C in biochar; the incorporation of NO3 -present in soil solution into biochar pores; the increased water retention in the soil which may reduce NO3 -leaching (Lone et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Effect of biochar amendment on nitrate retention in a silty clay loam soil

et al. 2016

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Biochar incorporation into agricultural soils has been proposed as a strategy to decrease nutrient leaching. The present study was designed to assess the effect of biochar on nitrate retention in a silty clay loam soil. Biochar obtained from the pyrogasification of fir wood chips was applied to soil and tested in a range of laboratory sorption experiments. Four soil treatments were considered: soil only (control), soil with 2, 4 and 8% of biochar by mass. The Freundlich sorption isotherm model was used to fit the adsorbed amount of nitrate in the soil-biochar mixtures. The model performed very well in interpreting the experimental data according to a general linear regression (analysis of co-variance) statistical approach. Nitrate retention in the soilbiochar mixtures was always higher than control, regardless the NO3 -concentration in the range of 0-400 mg L -1 . Different sorption capacities and intensities were detected depending on the biochar application rate. The highest adsorption capacity was observed in the soils added with 2 and 4% of biochar, respectively. From the results obtained is possible to infer that nitrate retention is higher at lower biochar addition rate to soil (2 and 4%) and at lower nitrate concentration in the soil water solution. These preliminary laboratory results suggest that biochar addition to a typical Mediterranean agricultural soil could be an effective management option to mitigate nitrate leaching.

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“…Biochars derived from organic waste have received a lot of attention lately from environmental management because of their ability to decrease methane emissions coming from landfills, reduce industrial energy use and emissions through recycling and waste reduction, recover energy from waste, enhance carbon sequestration in soils, decrease energy use for the long-distance transport of waste, reclaim infertile soils and remove inorganic and organic contaminants from soil, sediment and water (Lehmann 2007;Lehmann and Joseph 2009;Roberts et al 2010;Knowles et al 2011;Trakal et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of biochars produced from oil palm and rice husks and their adsorption capacities for heavy metals

Samsuri

Sadegh‐Zadeh

Seh-Bardan

2013

Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.

137

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The objectives of this study were to determine the selected physicochemical properties of two biochars, one commercially produced from rice husks and the other from oil palm empty fruit bunches, and to evaluate their adsorption capacities for Zn, Cu, and Pb using a batch equilibrium method. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the carbon content of biochars formed from empty fruit bunches (EFBB) and rice husks (RHB). However, the EFBB did present higher quantities of O, H, S, N, and K, compared to the RHB. Although the EFBB had a much lower surface area than the RHB, the former adsorbed much more Zn, Cu, and Pb than the RHB. The higher adsorption capacity of the EFBB over the RHB was a result of the EFBB having higher amounts of oxygen-containing functional groups, a higher molar ratio of O/C, and a higher polarity index [(O ? N)/C]. This suggests that the biochar's chemical properties were more important than its surface area in the adsorption of Zn, Cu, and Pb.

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Biochar for the mitigation of nitrate leaching from soil amended with biosolids

Cited by 221 publications

References 34 publications

Former charcoal platforms in Mediterranean forest areas: a hostile microhabitat for the recolonization by woody species

Former charcoal platforms in Mediterranean forest areas: a hostile microhabitat for the recolonization by woody species

Effect of biochar amendment on nitrate retention in a silty clay loam soil

Characterization of biochars produced from oil palm and rice husks and their adsorption capacities for heavy metals

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