Effect of Biochar on Soil CO2 Fluxes from Agricultural Field Experiments in Russian Far East

Abstract

Agricultural soils are a major source of greenhouse gases. Biochar is a soil improver and, when applied to the soil, sequesters carbon. However, a different combination of soil and climatic conditions and biochar leads to different research results. In this research, the effects of 1 kg/m2 and 3 kg/m2 biochar application to clay soils on the CO2 flow in field experiments along two cropping seasons in the Russian Far East were investigated. Data showed that biochar significantly reduces the cumulative flow of soil CO2, compared with untreated field plots. In 2018, the greatest reduction in soil CO2 emissions (28.2%) with 3 kg/m2 of biochar was obtained, while in 2019, the greatest decrease in the cumulative CO2 flow at the application dose of 1 kg/m2 (57.7%) was recorded. A correlation between a decrease in the value of the cumulative CO2 flux and an increase in the biomass grown in the studied areas of agricultural crops during the season of 2018 was found.

Effects of biochar and fertilizer amendments on soil acidity and soil organic carbon content on Luvic Anthrosols in Russian Far East

“…Through the application of biochar, the soil pH and soil organic carbon content both increased in field without drainage compared to a drainage system. Even though the properties of the soil were improved as a result of the application of biochar, the yield parameters and the overall grain yield depended significantly on the climatic conditions in the individual years [9]. Application biochar in Luviс Anthrosols in the climatic conditions of the south of the Russian Far East affected the soil characteristics leading to an increase in soil pH, an improvement in the amount of soil organic matter.…”

“…The field experiment was set up in June 2018 before planting and included two treatments: without and with biochar soil amendment [9][10]. To study the biochar's effect on soil properties, the biochar was applied only once to soil at a rate of 10 and 30 t/ha.…”

“…The biochar used is an environmentally friendly, high-quality product with a strong, highly porous structure and good sorption properties [12]. Changes in the chemical and sorption properties of biochar after being in the soil for 1 and 2 years are described in detail in the work of Bovsun et al [9].…”

“…In the areas with the introduction of biochar, the acidity values ranged from 5.5 -6.5. The lowest value corresponds to a site with a dose of 30 t/ha of biochar without fertilizers, due to the high sorption capacity of biochar [9] and heavy granulometric composition of soils. At the end of the vegetation season of 2019, no significant changes between pH values were detected in all the studied areas.…”

Applications of Biochar and Modified Biochar in Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil: A Descriptive Review

“…The monitored items include soil type, heavy-metal content, pH, soil nutrient content, crop growth level, effects of biochar aging, complete destruction on heavy metals, etc. [120,121]. With the development of geographic information technology, today, remote sensing technology, global positioning technology, and photoelectric diffuse-reflection systems [122] provide advanced methods for monitoring soil after remediation using biochar or modified biochar.…”