Biochar dose determines methane uptake and methanotroph abundance in Haplic Luvisol

Abstract

Biochar promotes C sequestration and improvement of soil properties. Nevertheless, the effects of biochar addition on soil condition are poorly understood, especially with respect to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A large proportion of GHG emissions derive from agriculture and, thus, recognition of the effect of biochar addition to soil on GHG emissions from terrestrial ecosystems is an important issue. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of biochar application on soil in aspects of: GHG exchange (CH₄ and CO₂), basic physicochemical soil properties and structure of microbial communities in Haplic Luvisol. Soil was collected from fallow fields enriched with three doses of wood offcuts biochar (10, 20 and 30 Mg ha^-1) and incubated at two moisture levels (60 and 100% WHC) with the addition of 1% CH₄. To evaluate the influence of biochar aging in soil, the samples were analysed directly (short-term response) and five years (long-term response) after amendment. Generally, biochar addition increased soil pH, redox potential (Eh), organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents. Under 60% WHC, direct biochar application to the soil resulted in a clear improvement in the CH₄ uptake rate. In contrast to that (at 100% WHC) methane uptake rates were twofold decreased. The positive effect was reduced due to biochar aging in the soil, but five years after application, at 60% WHC and the highest biochar dose (30 Mg ha^-1) still significantly enhanced CH₄ oxidation. From a short-term perspective, biochar application increased CO₂ emissions, but after five years this effect was not observed. Microbial tests confirmed that the improvement in CH₄ oxidation was correlated with methanotroph abundance in the soil. Moreover, an increase of Methylocystis abundance in the soil enriched with biochar along with enhanced CH₄ uptake rates confirm the positive biochar influence on methanotrophic communities.

Keywords: Biochar; Greenhouse gases; Methanotroph abundance; Methylocystis; Soil.