Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.

We examined the effect of a labile soil amendment, compost, and recalcitrant biochar on soil microbial community structure, diversity, and activity during turfgrass establishment. Two application rates of biochar (B1 at 12.5 t ha-1and B2 at 25 t ha-1), a 5 centimeter (cm) green waste compost treatme...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Azeem, Lauren Hale, Jonathan Montgomery, David Crowley, Milton E McGiffen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242209
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author Muhammad Azeem
Lauren Hale
Jonathan Montgomery
David Crowley
Milton E McGiffen
author_facet Muhammad Azeem
Lauren Hale
Jonathan Montgomery
David Crowley
Milton E McGiffen
author_sort Muhammad Azeem
collection DOAJ
description We examined the effect of a labile soil amendment, compost, and recalcitrant biochar on soil microbial community structure, diversity, and activity during turfgrass establishment. Two application rates of biochar (B1 at 12.5 t ha-1and B2 at 25 t ha-1), a 5 centimeter (cm) green waste compost treatment (CM) in top soil, a treatment with 12.5 t ha-1 biochar and 5 cm compost (B1+CM), and an unamended control (CK) treatment were prepared and seeded with tall fescue. Overall, results of phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) profiling and Illumina high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes amplified from soil DNA revealed significant shifts in microbial community structures in the compost amended soils whereas in biochar amended soils communities were more similar to the control, unamended soil. Similarly, increases in enzymatic rates (6-56%) and nitrogen-induced respiration (94%) were all largest in compost amended soils, with biochar amended soils exhibiting similar patterns to the control soils. Both biochar and compost amendments impacted microbial community structures and functions, but compost amendment, whether applied alone or co-applied with biochar, exhibited the strongest shifts in the microbial community metrics examined. Our results suggest application of compost to soils in need of microbiome change (reclamation projects) or biochar when the microbiome is functioning and long-term goals such as carbon sequestration are more desirable.
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spelling doaj.art-a2fa58be05744c1b8e66ce30bfec157d2022-12-21T21:56:50ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-011511e024220910.1371/journal.pone.0242209Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.Muhammad AzeemLauren HaleJonathan MontgomeryDavid CrowleyMilton E McGiffenWe examined the effect of a labile soil amendment, compost, and recalcitrant biochar on soil microbial community structure, diversity, and activity during turfgrass establishment. Two application rates of biochar (B1 at 12.5 t ha-1and B2 at 25 t ha-1), a 5 centimeter (cm) green waste compost treatment (CM) in top soil, a treatment with 12.5 t ha-1 biochar and 5 cm compost (B1+CM), and an unamended control (CK) treatment were prepared and seeded with tall fescue. Overall, results of phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) profiling and Illumina high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes amplified from soil DNA revealed significant shifts in microbial community structures in the compost amended soils whereas in biochar amended soils communities were more similar to the control, unamended soil. Similarly, increases in enzymatic rates (6-56%) and nitrogen-induced respiration (94%) were all largest in compost amended soils, with biochar amended soils exhibiting similar patterns to the control soils. Both biochar and compost amendments impacted microbial community structures and functions, but compost amendment, whether applied alone or co-applied with biochar, exhibited the strongest shifts in the microbial community metrics examined. Our results suggest application of compost to soils in need of microbiome change (reclamation projects) or biochar when the microbiome is functioning and long-term goals such as carbon sequestration are more desirable.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242209
spellingShingle Muhammad Azeem
Lauren Hale
Jonathan Montgomery
David Crowley
Milton E McGiffen
Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
PLoS ONE
title Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
title_full Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
title_fullStr Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
title_full_unstemmed Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
title_short Biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils.
title_sort biochar and compost effects on soil microbial communities and nitrogen induced respiration in turfgrass soils
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242209
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