Chamber System for Studying Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Interactions during Use of Biochar Soil Amendments.

Biochar soil amendments can increase soil organic carbon, may alter root zone processes, and may have beneficial effects on plant growth. Biochar may also affect soil microbial populations, change soil respiration, and release volatile organic compounds into the air surrounding the plants. A chamber system was designed for studying the effect of biochar soil amendments on plant growth. The system consists of 2 chambers with independent control of soil moisture, light intensity, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration. A gas exchange system measures plant canopy photosynthetic rates of 20-30 plants. Root module moisture is controlled using a static stand-pipe system and soil O2 concentration is measured using fluorescence-based optrodes.  Plant growth with and without biochar amendments will be measured for entire life cycles under constant environmental conditions. This data will be useful for understanding the effects of biochar soil amendments on plant-soil-atmosphere interactions.