Biochar improves fertility in waste derived manufactured soils, but not resilience to climate change

Rhymes, Jennifer M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9347-9863; Evans, Daniel; Laudone, Giuliano; Schofield, H. Kate; Fry, Ellen; Fitzsimons, Mark F.. 2024 Biochar improves fertility in waste derived manufactured soils, but not resilience to climate change. Science of The Total Environment, 923, 171387. 10, pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171387

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171387

Abstract/Summary

We present a soil manufactured from waste materials, which could replace the use of peat and topsoil in plant production and reduce the pressure on natural soil resources. We tested the effect of the manufactured soil on ecosystem functions and microbial communities with and without plants present, and with and without biochar addition (Experiment 1). The resilience of the soil in response to drought and flooding, and also the effect of biochar was also tested (Experiment 2). Biochar increased soil C and N regardless of plant presence and negated the effect of the plant on soil peroxidase enzyme activity. The manufactured soil was largely resilient to drought, but not flooding, with negative impacts on microbial communities. Results indicate that biochar could improve soil properties, but not resilience to climatic perturbations. Results suggest that manufactured soils amended with biochar could offer a useful alternative to natural soil in many contexts.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171387
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0048-9697
Additional Keywords:	waste derived manufactured soil, biochar, climate-change, resilience, biogeochemistry, drought, flooding
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	11 Mar 2024 11:45 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537056

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171387

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0048-9697

Additional Keywords:

waste derived manufactured soil, biochar, climate-change, resilience, biogeochemistry, drought, flooding

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Agriculture and Soil Science