The long-term effect of biochar on soil microbial abundance, activity and community structure is overwritten by land management

Soil amendment with biochar can modify soil microbial abundance, activity and community structure. Nevertheless, the long-term evolution of these effects is unknown and of critical importance because biochar persists in soil for centuries. We selected nine charcoal kiln sites (CKS) from forests (four sites) and croplands (five sites) and determined the microbial properties of their topsoil, largely enriched with charcoal for > 150 years. Adjacent soils were used as references unaffected by charcoal production. Soils were incubated in controlled conditions and emissions of CO2 were measured... Mehr ...