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Temporal fluctuations of impacts of corn-stover biochar on nutrients and microbial community structure in a neutral paddy soil
Received:November 15, 2015  
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KeyWord:biochar;soil nutrients;microbial biomass;phospholipid fatty acid;neutral paddy soil
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
GAI Xia-pu Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, China  
LIU Hong-bin Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, China  
ZHAI Li-mei Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, China  
REN Tian-zhi Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, China  
WANG Hong-yuan Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, China wanghongyuan@caas.cn 
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Abstract:
      A laboratory incubation study was conducted to examine the effects of biochar on soil nutrients, microbial biomass and phospholipids fatty acids(PLFA) in a neutral paddy soil. The biochar, pyrolyzed from corn-stover at 500℃, was applied to a neutral paddy soil at rates of 0(CK), 1%(T1), 2%(T2) and 4%(T3) of soil mass. Results showed that soil ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen fluctuated over time. These parameters reached the lowest levels on day 21st and then showed an increasing trend, which was attributed to the consumption of soil available nutrients. Additions of biochar increased pH values, organic matter, and total nitrogen in soil, but decreased soil ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, as compared with CK. In addition, soil microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen were increased by 5.5%~14.3% and 4.8%~25.7% in T1~T3 treatments. Although PLFA content was slightly reduced by biochar amendments, the species of PLFA showed no significant difference among biochar treatments. The diversity of soil microbial community structure was not affected by the presence of corn-stover biochar. In conclusion, biochar amendments could improve soil nutrients, enhance soil microbial biomass, and promote soil fertility of the neutral paddy soil.