Biochar and Manure Amendments Alter Soil Extracellular Enzymatic Activity Under Limited Irrigation Agriculture.

With water demand increasing across the semi-arid west, innovative soil and water management can help reduce inputs to agricultural systems. Organic amendments, such as biochar and manure can increase soil moisture and fertility, affecting the soil microbial community and nutrient cycling enzymatic activity. In the second year of a corn field trial in Northern Colorado, the research examines the persistence of effects on enzymatic activity, total soil C, soil moisture and yield.  These results may provide a stepping stone for analyses of a wider array of extracellular enzymes and explores the impact of biochar and manure on microbial community function in temperature agricultural systems with limited moisture.