IMPACT4SOIL OpenAire IRIS Cnr Crossref Microsoft Academic Graph CNR ExploRA Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" European Journal of Soil Biology Closed Access 2013-11-02 2024-02-21 2015-10-06 Biochar is known to enhance soil fertility and C sequestration, but relatively little information is currently available about its effect on soil microbial community, a component of terrestrial ecosystems that plays a key role in nutrient cycling. This study tested the effects of soil amendment with two loads of wood-derived biochar (30 and 60 t ha(-1)) in a wheat crop in Tuscany (Italy). Soil samples were collected 3 and 14 months after treatments over two successive growing seasons, and analysed for pH, total organic C (C-org), extractable C (C-ext), microbial biomass-C (C-mic), 25 specific microbial activities, mean substrate-induced respiration (mSIR) for 25 substrates, functional microbial diversity and bacterial genetic diversity. No significant effect of biochar treatment was observed on C-org, C-ext, C-mic, microbial quotient (C-mic % C-org) or genetic diversity. An increase in mSIR, some specific microbial activities and soil pH, and a significant change in functional diversity were observed 3 months after treatment. In contrast, no effect of biochar was detected 14 months after treatment for the parameters considered, except for a small but significant increase in pH. Our data suggest that biochar addition stimulated soil microbial activity without causing any apparent disturbance, but this positive effect was very short-lived. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. 2. Zero hunger Soil management Wood-derived biochar Soil bacterial diversity; Soil management; Soil microbial activity; Soil microbial functional diversity; Wheat crop; Wood-derived biochar; Soil microbial functional diversity Wheat crop Soil microbial activity 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Soil bacterial diversity 15. Life on land 6. Clean water RUTIGLIANO, Flora Angela, Romano M., MARZAIOLI, Rossana, BAGLIVO, Ilaria, Baronti S., Miglietta F., CASTALDI, Simona, 2014-01-01 journalpaper Biochar is known to enhance soil fertility and C sequestration, but relatively little information is currently available about its effect on soil microbial community, a component of terrestrial ecosystems that plays a key role in nutrient cycling. This study tested the effects of soil amendment with two loads of wood-derived biochar (30 and 60 t ha(-1)) in a wheat crop in Tuscany (Italy). Soil samples were collected 3 and 14 months after treatments over two successive growing seasons, and analysed for pH, total organic C (C-org), extractable C (C-ext), microbial biomass-C (C-mic), 25 specific microbial activities, mean substrate-induced respiration (mSIR) for 25 substrates, functional microbial diversity and bacterial genetic diversity. No significant effect of biochar treatment was observed on C-org, C-ext, C-mic, microbial quotient (C-mic % C-org) or genetic diversity. An increase in mSIR, some specific microbial activities and soil pH, and a significant change in functional diversity were observed 3 months after treatment. In contrast, no effect of biochar was detected 14 months after treatment for the parameters considered, except for a small but significant increase in pH. Our data suggest that biochar addition stimulated soil microbial activity without causing any apparent disturbance, but this positive effect was very short-lived. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. Effect Of Biochar Addition On Soil Microbial Community In A Wheat Crop 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007