scholarly journals A Combination of Biochar–Mineral Complexes and Compost Improves Soil Bacterial Processes, Soil Quality, and Plant Properties

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Ye ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Shaun Nielsen ◽  
Stephen D. Joseph ◽  
Danfeng Huang ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Bayranvand ◽  
Moslem Akbarinia ◽  
Gholamreza Salehi Jouzani ◽  
Javad Gharechahi ◽  
Yahya Kooch ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate how altitudinal gradients shape the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities, humus forms and soil properties across six altitude levels in Hyrcanian forests. Soil microbiomes were characterized by sequencing amplicons of selected molecular markers. Soil chemistry and plant mycorrhizal type were the two dominant factors explaining variations in bacterial and fungal diversity, respectively. The lowest altitude level had more favorable conditions for the formation of mull humus and exhibited higher N and Ca contents. These conditions were also associated with a higher proportion of Betaproteobacteria, Acidimicrobia, Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae. Low soil and forest floor quality as well as lower bacterial and fungal diversity characterized higher altitude levels, along with a high proportion of shared bacterial (Thermoleophilia, Actinobacteria and Bacilli) and fungal (Eurotiomycetes and Mortierellomycota) taxa. Beech-dominated sites showed moderate soil quality and high bacterial (Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes) and fungal (Basidiomycota) diversity. Particularly, the Basidiomycota were well represented in pure beech forests at an altitude of 1500 m. In fertile and nitrogen rich soils with neutral pH, soil quality decreased along the altitudinal gradient, indicating that microbial diversity and forest floor decomposition were likely constrained by climatic conditions.


Microbiome ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syrie M. Hermans ◽  
Hannah L. Buckley ◽  
Bradley S. Case ◽  
Fiona Curran-Cournane ◽  
Matthew Taylor ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Junqia Kong ◽  
Zhibin He ◽  
Chen Longfei ◽  
Rong Yang ◽  
Jun Du

Lacking of systematic evaluations in soil quality and microbial community recovery after different amendments addition limits optimization of amendments combination in coal mine-soils. We performed a short-term incubation experiment over 12 weeks to assess the effects of three amendments (biochar: C; nitrogen fertilizer at three levels: N-N1~N3; microbial agent at two levels: M-M1~M2) based on C/N ratio (regulated by biochar and N level: 35:1, 25:1, 12.5:1) on soil quality and microbial community in the Qilian Mountains, China. Over the incubation period, soil pH and MBC/MBN were significantly lower than unamended treatment in N addition and C+M+N treatments, respectively. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents had a significant increase in all amended treatments (P<0.001). Higher AP, AK, MBC, MBN and lower MBC/MBN were observed in N2-treated soil(corresponding to C/N ratio of 25:1). Meanwhile, N2-treated soil significantly increased species richness and diversity of soil bacterial community (P<0.05). Principal coordinate analysis further showed that soil bacterial community compositions were significantly separated by N level. C-M-N treatments (especially at N2 and N1 levels) significantly increased the relative abundance (>1%) of the bacterial phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and decreased the relative abundance of fungal phyla Chytridiomycota (P<0.05). Redundancy analysis illustrated the importance of soil nutrients in explaining variability in bacteria community composition (74.73%) than fungal (35.0%). Our results indicated that N and M addition based on biochar can improve soil quality by neutralizing soil pH and increasing soil nutrient contents, and the appropriate C/N ratio (25:1: biochar+N2-treated soil) can better promote mass, richness and diversity of soil bacterial community. Our study provided a new insight for achieving restoration of damaged habitats by changing microbial structure, diversity and mass by regulating C/N ratio of amendments


Author(s):  
S.M. Thomas ◽  
M.H.Beare C.D. Ford ◽  
V. Rietveld

Humping/hollowing and flipping are land development practices widely used on the West Coast to overcome waterlogging constraints to pasture production. However, there is very limited information about how the resulting "new" soils function and how their properties change over time following these extreme modifications. We hypothesised that soil quality will improve in response to organic matter inputs from plants and excreta, which will in turn increase nutrient availability. We tested this hypothesis by quantifying the soil organic matter and nutrient content of soils at different stages of development after modification. We observed improvements in soil quality with increasing time following soil modification under both land development practices. Total soil C and N values were very low following flipping, but over 8 years these values had increased nearly five-fold. Other indicators of organic matter quality such as hot water extractable C (HWC) and anaerobically mineralisable N (AMN) showed similar increases. With large capital applications of superphosphate fertiliser to flipped soils in the first year and regular applications of maintenance fertiliser, Olsen P levels also increased from values


Author(s):  
Amita M Watkar ◽  

Soil, itself means Soul of Infinite Life. Soil is the naturally occurring unconsolidated or loose covering on the earth’s surface. Physical properties depend upon the amount, size, shape, arrangement, and mineral composition of soil particles. It also depends on the organic matter content and pore spaces. Chemical properties depend on the Inorganic and organic matter present in the soil. Soils are the essential components of the environment and foundation resources for nearly all types of land use, besides being the most important component of sustainable agriculture. Therefore, assessment of soil quality and its direction of change with time is an ideal and primary indicator of sustainable agricultural land management. Soil quality indicators refer to measurable soil attributes that influence the capacity of a soil to function, within the limits imposed by the ecosystem, to preserve biological productivity and environmental quality and promote plant, animal and human health. The present study is to assess these soil attributes such as physical and chemical properties season-wise.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt D. Busse ◽  
Ken R. Hubbert ◽  
Emily E. Y. Moghaddas
Keyword(s):  

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