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A field experiment was carried out to study the responses of soil respiration, soil C and N, composition of main microbial groups, enzyme activity, and microbial C source utilization to two organic amendments (i.e., straw and manure) added alone or combined with biochar for 9 months in an infertile soil. In comparison with the non-amended control, soil CO2 emission rates were significantly increased following straw and manure addition, but they were decreased by 19% and 36% on average when co-applied with biochar. Organic amendments significantly increased the size of labile C pool by 21%, total phospholipid-fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations by 32%, activities of α-glucosidase by 51%, β-glucosidase by 115%, β-D-cellobiosidase by 105%, β-xylosidase by 43%, phenol oxidase by 59%, and peroxidase by 91% on average relative to the non-amended control, whereas biochar co-application with organic amendments had no effect on soil PLFA concentrations but significantly decreased the enzyme activities by 38% and the sizes of labile C and N pools by 16% on average. The results of the substrate-induced respiration confirmed a lower capacity of biochar-treated soils to use the C sources of carbohydrates and carboxylic acids. Structural equation modeling indicated that the response of soil CO2 emission rates to organic amendment and biochar was directly linked to their effects on microbial activities. Therefore, our study demonstrated that biochar co-applied with straw or manure mitigated soil C loss by decreasing soil microbial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microbial composition and metabolic function were compared among three biochars. • Biochar increased N availability and decreased soil acidity in a bamboo plantation. • Biochar increased soil PLFAs and enzyme activities involved in C, N and P cycling. • Microbial functioning changes towards a faster C turnover in biochar treated soil. • Changes in soil acidity and soil nutrient availability are key driving factors. Biochar has been known as means to increase soil carbon (C) storage, and at the same time to ameliorate soil acidity and enhance plant growth. However, how biochar addition affects microbial community composition and metabolic function in subtropical plantation soils and their linkage with soil quality change is still poorly understood. We selected bamboo stick, corn straw and peel of Carya cathayensis as feedstocks to produce three biochars at 350 °C by slow pyrolysis, and added them to an acid bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) plantation soil. Changes in soil nutrient and C availability, soil acidity, plant biomass, and microbial function in terms of C source utilization and soil enzyme activities were investigated after a three-month greenhouse trial. The results showed that the biochars from corn straw and peel significantly increased plant biomass, soil pH, organic C, total nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic N contents, while decreased exchangeable H+ and exchangeable Al3+ concentrations. The concentration of total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) was increased significantly under biochars from corn straw and peel. The activities of β-D-cellobiosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase and acid phosphatase were significantly increased by peel biochar. Soil basal respiration and microbial utilization rate of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids and amino acids compounds were significantly increased under the three biochars, suggesting a higher capacity of biochar-treated soil to catabolize C sources. Increased plant biomass was related to the increased N availability and decreased acidity. Our study suggests that biochar–induced changes in soil acidity and soil nutrient availability are key drivers shaping the composition of microbial communities and enhancing their catabolic capacity, but the effects on soil microbial function vary depending on feedstock origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biochar amendment constitutes an effective soil remediation strategy for organic contaminants, but how the soil organic carbon (SOC) content affects polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) degradation and adsorption to biochar remains unclear. A 120-day biochar amendment experiment was conducted to investigate the dynamic effects of SOC on PCBs degradation in soil and adsorption to biochar. Biochar in low-SOC (LSOC) soils adsorbed a significantly higher amount of PCBs than did that in high-SOC (HSOC) soils. PCBs degradation was also greatly enhanced in LSOC soils when compared with that in HSOC soils after 30 days of biochar amendment. Degradation of di- and tri-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) were significantly enhanced in the LSOC soils than in the HSOC soils, while the biochar in the LSOC soil tended to adsorb significantly higher amount of tetra- and penta-CBs. Compared to biochar adsorption, microbial degradation contributed significantly to soil PCBs removal. Soil bacterial 16S rDNA abundance increased concomitantly with soil PCBs degradation. Regardless of SOC, soil bacterial communities and PCB congener compositions changed significantly after 30 days of biochar amendment. The abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were negatively correlated with the soil PCBs removal, while Gemmatimonadetes and Proteobacteria were positively correlated. The results of this study revealed that, compared with that to HSOC soils, biochar amendment to LSOC soils may have a greater positive effect on both soil PCB degradation and biochar adsorption. Therefore, the application of bamboo biochar to LSOC soils could be more effective than that to HSOC soils with respect to the remediation of PCBs contamination. Highlights • Degradation of di- and tri-CBs were significantly enhanced in the LSOC soils. • Biochar in LSOC soils adsorbed significantly higher content of tetra- and penta-CBs. • Soil bacterial 16S rDNA abundance increased concomitantly with PCBs degradation. • Biochar amendment to LSOC soils could be more effective to PCBs remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon (C) storage in forest soils can be enhanced through increasing organic C input and decreasing soil heterotrophic respiration (R H ). The inhibitory effect of biochar on R H has been extensively studied in agricultural soils, while such an effect and the mechanisms involved remain unknown in forest soils. Here, we examine the response of soil physicochemical and microbial properties to biochar application and how these factors mediate the biochar-induced change in soil R H in a subtropical bamboo plantation. Our results showed that biochar application significantly reduced R H , and markedly altered most of the studied soil properties important for R H in the bamboo plantation. Biochar application did not affect soil temperature and no relationship between soil R H and either soil moisture or labile organic C content was observed, excluding the possibility that biochar reduced the R H through changing soil temperature, moisture or labile organic C content, factors commonly considered to control R H . As compared to the control, biochar application significantly increased the aromatic C content and RubisCO enzyme activity, while decreased β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activities. In addition, the soil R H was positively ( P  < 0.01) correlated with β-glucosidase and CBH activities, while negatively ( P  < 0.05) correlated with RubisCO enzyme activity. Further, using structural equation modelling, we revealed that bicohar reduced R H through increasing the proportion of soil recalcitrant C fraction and decreasing the β-glucosidase and CBH activities in relation to the decomposition of carbohydrates and celluloses in the soil. This is the first report that increased soil organic C recalcitrancy and decreased activities of C-degrading enzymes are responsible for biochar to reduce R H in the subtropical plantation, which may be key to regulating R H in subtropical plantations through forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar incorporated into soil has been known to affect soil nutrient availability and act as a habitat for microorganisms, both of which could be related to its particle size. However, little is known about the effect of particle size on soil microbial community structure and function. To investigate short-term soil microbial responses to biochar addition having varying particle sizes and addition rates, we established a laboratory incubation study. Biochar produced via pyrolysis of bamboo was ground into three particle sizes (diameter size < 0.05 mm (fine), 0.05–1.0 mm (medium) and 1.0–2.0 mm (coarse)) and amended at rates of 0% (control), 3% and 9% (w/w) in an intensively managed bamboo ( Phyllostachys praecox ) plantation soil. The results showed that the fine particle biochar resulted in significantly higher soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (K) concentrations than the medium and coarse particle sizes. The fine-sized biochar also induced significantly higher total microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) concentrations by 60.28% and 88.94% than the medium and coarse particles regardless of addition rate, respectively. Redundancy analysis suggested that the microbial community structures were largely dependent of particle size, and that improved soil properties were key factors shaping them. The cumulative CO 2 emissions from biochar-amended soils were 2–56% lower than the control and sharply decreased with increasing addition rates and particle sizes. Activities of α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, N -acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, peroxidase and dehydrogenase decreased by ranging from 7% to 47% in biochar-amended soils over the control, indicating that biochar addition reduced enzyme activities involved carbon cycling capacity. Our results suggest that biochar addition can affect microbial population abundances, community structure and enzyme activities, that these effects are particle size and rate dependent. The fine particle biochar may additionally produce a better habitat for microorganisms compared to the other particle sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microbial nutrient-use efficiencies were compared among biochars in a forest soil. • Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry reveals a nutrient limitation for microbes under biochar. • Biochar prepared at 500 °C and 700 °C increased microbial C-use efficiency. • Biochar prepared at 350 °C and 500 °C increased microbial N-use efficiency. • Effect of biochar on microbial metabolic activity was pyrolysis temperature dependent. A microcosm study was performed to investigate changes in soil enzyme activities and microbial C- and N-use efficiencies (CUE and NUE) with amendment of biochars prepared at three pyrolysis temperatures (350, 500 and 700 °C) in an acid bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forest soil. The results showed that, compared to the non-amended control, biochars produced at 500 and 700 °C significantly (P < 0.05) increased soil pH, total N, and dissolved N (DN) concentrations, whereas significantly decreased dissolved organic C (DOC) and exchangeable acidity concentrations after three months. The microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) and the ratio of fungi: bacteria (F:B) were only significantly increased under 350 °C biochar. The ratios of both soil C:N and DOC:DN to MBC:MBN were reduced under 500 and 700 °C biochars, suggesting a lower C:N imbalance between resources and microorganism. The ratio of C- to N-acquiring enzyme activities increased gradually under biochars with increasing temperature. Moreover, microbial CUE increased whereas NUE declined under biochars at 500 and 700 °C, and the threshold elemental ratio (TER) revealed that the microbial nutrient metabolisms were limited by N in soils amended with residue, but were limited by C under biochars at 500 and 700 °C. Structural equation modeling indicated that the C:N imbalance had a great impact on microbial CUE, while changes in F:B ratio and soil pH were closely associated with NUE. This study suggests that changes in microbial nutrient-use efficiency and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry reveals a clear C-limitation, but a N-availability under short-term amendment of biochar produced at a high pyrolysis temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]