Biochar and hydrochar application influence soil ammonia volatilization and the dissolved organic matter in salt-affected soils.

Biochar, which including pyrochar (PBC) and hydrochar (HBC), has been tested as a soil enhancer to improve saline soils. However, the effects of PBC and HBC application on ammonia (NH3) volatilization and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in saline paddy soils are poorly understood. In this research, marsh moss-derived PBC and HBC biochar types were applied to paddy saline soils at 0.5 % (w/w) and 1.5 % (w/w) rates to assess their impact on soil NH3 volatilization and DOM using a soil column experiment. The results revealed that soil NH3 volatilization significantly increased by 56.1 % in the treatment with 1.5 % (w/w) HBC compared to the control without PBC or HBC. Conversely, PBC and the lower application rate of HBC led to decrease in NH3 volatilization ranging from 2.4 % to 12.1 %. Floodwater EC is a dominant factor in NH3 emission. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensities of the four fractions (all humic substances) were found to be significantly higher in the 1.5 % (w/w) HBC treatment applied compared to the other treatments, as indicated by parallel factor analysis modeling. This study highlights the potential for soil NH3 losses and DOM leaching in saline paddy soils due to the high application rate of HBC. These findings offer valuable insights into the effects of PBC and HBC on rice paddy saline soil ecosystems.

Salinity-dependent potential soil fungal decomposers under straw amendment.

Soil salinization is a severe environmental problem that restricts plant productivity and ecosystem functioning. Straw amendment could increase the fertility of saline soils by improving microbial activity and carbon sequestration, however, the adaptation and ecological preference of potential fungal decomposers after straw addition under varied soil salinities remains elusive. Here, a soil microcosm study was conducted by incorporating wheat and maize straws into soils with a range of salinities, respectively. We showed that the amendment of straws increased MBC, SOC, DOC and NH4+-N contents by 75.0 %, 17.2 %, 88.3 % and 230.9 %, respectively, but decreased NO3--N content by 79.0 %, irrespective of soil salinity, with intensified connections among these parameters after straw addition. Although soil salinity had a more profound effect on both fungal α- and ß-diversity, straw amendment also significantly reduced fungal Shannon diversity and changed community composition, especially for severe saline soil. Complexity of the fungal co-occurrence network was specifically strengthened after straw addition, with average degree increasing from 11.9 in the control to 22.0 and 22.7 in wheat and maize straw treatments, respectively. Intriguingly, there was very little overlap among the straw-enriched ASVs (Amplicon Sequence Variants) in each saline soil, indicating the soil-specific involvement of potential fungal decomposers. Particularly, fungal species belonging to Cephalotrichum and unclassified Sordariales were the most responsive to straw addition in severe saline soil, whereas light saline soil supported the enrichment of Coprinus and Schizothecium species after straw addition. Together, our study provides a new insight on the common and specific responses of soil chemical and biological characteristics at different salinity levels under straw management, which will help guide precise microbial-based strategies to boost straw decomposition in future agricultural practice and environmental management of saline-alkali lands.

[Characteristics and influencing factors of soil nitrification potential in coastal salinized farmland]. / æ»¨æµ·ç›æ¸å†œç”°åœŸå£¤ç¡åŒ–åŠ¿ç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ .

Understanding the nitrification capacity of coastal saline farmland soils and its main drivers is of great significance to regulate soil nitrification and improve the utilization efficiency of nitrogen fertilization in farmland. Using a combination of field investigations and laboratory analyses, we examined farmland soil nitrification potential and soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in the coastal muddy tidal flat saline soil area (Dongying and Dongtai). We established the correlation between soil properties and soil nitrification potential with multiple stepwise regression analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that soil pH value was relatively stable and other soil properties and soil nitrification potential varied in coastal saline farmland. The soil nitrification potential ranged from 0.04 to 10.42 mg·kg-1·d-1 and decreased with the increases of soil salinization level. Soil nitrification potential had the strongest correlation with soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and Cl-, with the correlation coefficient being 0.409, 0.397 and -0.337, respectively. The results of multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that Na+, silt, cation exchange capacity, and CO32-+HCO3- were the main influencing factors of soil nitrification potential. The results from the SEM analysis suggested that Na+, silt, cation exchange capacity, and CO32-+HCO3- directly affected soil nitrification potential, and soil organic matter, clay, Cl- and SO42- had indirect effects. In all, soil Na+ and cation exchange capacity were the two main factors affecting nitrification. Adjusting soil NaCl content and cation exchange capacity was an effective means of regulating soil nitrification.

Biochar Addition Inhibits Nitrification by Shifting Community Structure of Ammonia-Oxidizing Microorganisms in Salt-Affected Irrigation-Silting Soil.

Biochar has been widely recognized as an effective and eco-friendly ameliorant for saline soils, but information about the mechanism of how biochar influences nitrification in salt-affected agroecosystem remains fragmented. An incubation experiment was performed on the salt-affected soil collected from a three-consecutive-year experiment at biochar application gradients of 7.5 t⋅ha-1, 15 t⋅ha-1 and 30⋅t ha-1 and under nitrogen (N) fertilization. Responses of the nitrification rate (NR), numbers of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene copies, and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) to biochar application were investigated. The results indicated that, under N fertilization, the NR and numbers of amoA-AOB and amoA-AOA gene copies negatively responded to biochar addition. Biochar application increased the community diversity of AOB but decreased that of AOA. Biochar addition and N fertilization shifted the AOB community from Nitrosospira-dominated to Nitrosospira and Nitrosomonas-dominated, and altered the AOA community from Nitrososphaera-dominated to Nitrososphaera and Nitrosopumilus-dominated. The relative abundance of Nitrosospira, Nitrosomonas and Nitrosopumilus decreased, and that of Nitrosovibrio and Nitrososphaera increased with biochar application rate. Soil SOC, pH and NO3--N explained 87.1% of the variation in the AOB community, and 78.1% of the variation in the AOA community was explanatory by soil pH and SOC. The SOC and NO3--N influenced NR through Nitrosovibrio, Nitrosomonas, Norank_c_environmental_samples_p_Crenarchaeota and amoA-AOB and amoA-AOA gene abundance. Therefore, biochar addition inhibited nitrification in salt-affected irrigation-silting soil by shifting the community structures of AOB and AOA and reducing the relative abundance of dominant functional ammonia-oxidizers, such as Nitrosospira, Nitrosomonas and Nitrosopumilus.

Nitrate leaching and NH3 volatilization during soil reclamation in the Yellow River Delta, China.

The agricultural ecological system is an important part of the Yellow River Delta (YRD); however, soil reclamation may trigger environmental concerns about nitrate leaching and NH3 volatilization in this area. To assess nitrogen losses during soil reclamation, a two-year field experiment was conducted with plastic film mulch, which is an effective way to alleviate water-salt stress. The Hydrus-2D software package was used to calculate nitrogen transport, transformation and losses. The results showed that nitrogen (N) retention in the soil varied during the two growing seasons, because soil water, salinity and climatic conditions acted together on nitrogen transport and transformation. Soil salinity promoted NH3 volatilization, and the proportions of ammonia volatilization were 22.78 percent and 19.50 percent of the N input in 2018 and 2019, respectively, because urea hydrolysis, nitrification and soil NH4+-N adsorption capacity were limited by soil salt. NO3--N leaching was controlled by soil water infiltration, climatic conditions and groundwater level. NO3--N leaching was 43.84 percent and 32.89 percent of the nitrogen input in 2018 and 2019, respectively; the difference was mainly caused by the different distribution of rainfall during the growing season; thus, soil water infiltration increased under heavy rainfall because it broke the barrier formed by the plough pan. This study indicates that there is a risk of nitrogen pollution during soil reclamation. In addition, Hydrus-2D has considerable potential to calculate nitrogen losses under the effect of plastic film mulch in this area.

[Influencing mechanism of soil salinization on nitrogen transformation processes and efficiency improving methods for high efficient utilization of nitrogen in salinized farmland]. / ç›æ¸åŒ–å¯¹å†œç”°æ°®ç´ è½¬åŒ–è¿‡ç¨‹çš„å½±å“æœºåˆ¶å’Œå¢žæ•ˆè°ƒæŽ§é€”å¾„.

Based upon the review of the status of nitrogen use efficiency in salinized farmland in China, we summarized the effect of salinization on key processes of nitrogen transformation in farmland soil, analyzed the microbial mechanism underlying nitrogen transformation, and summed up the main ways for high efficient utilization of nitrogen in salinized farmland. Salinization had thre-shold effects on mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification of nitrogen from farmland soil, with the influence varying greatly in different scopes. Salinity and secondary barriers had different effects on microorganisms, with threshold in their effects. The most widely used methods for nitrogen synergism regulation in salinized farmland include soil conditioner, biomass material, growing salt-tole-rant plants, optimizing the ratio of different nitrogen forms, and biological inhibitor. We proposed current research shortcomings and future research directions of nitrogen cycle processes in salinized farmland. This study was of great significance for reducing nitrogen loss, enhancing utilization of nutrient from fertilizers, and controlling agricultural non-point source pollution in salinized farmland.

Biochar and fulvic acid amendments mitigate negative effects of coastal saline soil and improve crop yields in a three year field trial.

China with large area of land planted with crops are suffering secondary salinization in coastal area for the lack of fresh water and saltwater intrusion to the groundwater. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of biochar (BC) and fulvic acid (FA) on the amelioration of coastal saline soil and their impact on crop yields under maize-barley rotation system. A three year field experiment was conducted in a saline soil on a farm in coastal area of east Jiangsu Province, China. A maize-barley rotation system had been carried out for ten years with local conventional management before the experiment. The saline soil was amended with BC at rates of 0, 7.5 t ha-1 (BC1), 15 t ha-1 (BC2) and 30 t ha-1 (BC3) alone or combined with fulvic acid (1.5 t ha-1) compared with control. Fertilizers were applied under normal planting strategies. The BC was added only once during the four growing seasons, and the FA was applied before each sowing. Soil salinity changed significantly during the three year field experiment. This was mainly due to the great quantity of rain during the period of maize cultivation. Although Na+, Cl- and SO42- in BC and /or FA treatments significantly decreased, the pH value increased up to 9.0 as the CO32- + HCO3-content increased. Total organic carbon (TOC) and phosphorus (TP) responded positively to biochar addition rate. BC applied with appropriate rate at 15 t ha-1 (BC2) in combination with FA showed optimal effects on soil salinity amelioration, soil physics properties regulation, soil nutrition improvement and crop yields increase. The TOC and TP was 5.2 g kg-1 and 507 mg kg-1 in BC2 + FA treatment, which were lower than BC3 and BC3 + FA treatments. However, the highest total grain yield was obtained in the BC2 + FA treatment, and the total yield was increased by 62.9% over the CK. This study emphasizes that using combined organic amendment of BC with FA for profitable and sustainable use of salt-affected soils would be practicable.

Digital Mapping of Soil Salinity and Crop Yield across a Coastal Agricultural Landscape Using Repeated Electromagnetic Induction (EMI) Surveys.

Reliable and real-time information on soil and crop properties is important for the development of management practices in accordance with the requirements of a specific soil and crop within individual field units. This is particularly the case in salt-affected agricultural landscape where managing the spatial variability of soil salinity is essential to minimize salinization and maximize crop output. The primary objectives were to use linear mixed-effects model for soil salinity and crop yield calibration with horizontal and vertical electromagnetic induction (EMI) measurements as ancillary data, to characterize the spatial distribution of soil salinity and crop yield and to verify the accuracy of spatial estimation. Horizontal and vertical EMI (type EM38) measurements at 252 locations were made during each survey, and root zone soil samples and crop samples at 64 sampling sites were collected. This work was periodically conducted on eight dates from June 2012 to May 2013 in a coastal salt-affected mud farmland. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and restricted maximum likelihood (REML) were applied to calibrate root zone soil salinity (ECe) and crop annual output (CAO) using ancillary data, and spatial distribution of soil ECe and CAO was generated using digital soil mapping (DSM) and the precision of spatial estimation was examined using the collected meteorological and groundwater data. Results indicated that a reduced model with EMh as a predictor was satisfactory for root zone ECe calibration, whereas a full model with both EMh and EMv as predictors met the requirement of CAO calibration. The obtained distribution maps of ECe showed consistency with those of EMI measurements at the corresponding time, and the spatial distribution of CAO generated from ancillary data showed agreement with that derived from raw crop data. Statistics of jackknifing procedure confirmed that the spatial estimation of ECe and CAO exhibited reliability and high accuracy. A general increasing trend of ECe was observed and moderately saline and very saline soils were predominant during the survey period. The temporal dynamics of root zone ECe coincided with those of daily rainfall, water table and groundwater data. Long-range EMI surveys and data collection are needed to capture the spatial and temporal variability of soil and crop parameters. Such results allowed us to conclude that, cost-effective and efficient EMI surveys, as one part of multi-source data for DSM, could be successfully used to characterize the spatial variability of soil salinity, to monitor the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil salinity, and to spatially estimate potential crop yield.

[Characteristics of soil salinity profiles and their electromagnetic response under various vegetation types in coastal saline area].

Aiming at the intrinsic relationships between vegetation type and soil salinity in coastal saline area, and by using electromagnetic induction EM38 and field sampling method, the characteristics of soil salinity profiles under various vegetation types in typical coastal saline region of the Yellow River Delta were analyzed, and the electromagnetic response characters of the salinity profiles were compared. The results showed that across the study area, soil salinity exhibited the characteristics of top enrichment and strong spatial variation. The horizontal electromagnetic conductivity EM(h) responded well to soil salinity at upper layers, and the response of vertical electromagnetic conductivity EM(v) to soil salinity at deeper layers was superior to that of EM(h). Soil salinity profiles were classified into inverted, normal, and uniform types. The vegetation types of inverted salinity profiles were mainly bare land and Suaeda salsa, while those of normal and uniform salinity profiles were cotton and weed, respectively. The sequence of top enrichment intensity was bare land > S. salsa land > weed land > cotton land. With the change of vegetation type of cotton-weed-S. salsa-bare land, the EM(v)/EM(h) value of salinity profiles decreased gradually. Nonparametric test results showed that there was a significant correlation between vegetation type and electromagnetic response characters, and the distribution characters of EM(v)/EM(h) under various vegetation types varied significantly.