100165 Impacts of Biochar Aging and Soil Type on Soil Nitrogen Dynamics.

Poster Number 187-811

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Biochar Period: If You Have Data We Want to See It (includes student competition)

Monday, November 7, 2016
Phoenix Convention Center North, Exhibit Hall CDE

Santanu Bakshi1, Samuel Rathke2, Chumki Banik2 and David A. Laird2, (1)Iowa State University, Dept. of Agronomy, Ames, IA
(2)Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Abstract:
Interactions between soil type, biochar type, and biochar aging may influence N cycling in soils. To gain a better understanding of biochar impacts on N mineralization and nitrification (gross N transformation process), an 15N tracer study in combination of numerical data analysis has been employed using fresh and laboratory-aged fast pyrolysis biochars and three soil types (sandy loam, silt loam, and clay loam). Soils were mixed with biochar (1% w/w) and sub-samples were then incubated with N-fertilizer (15NH4Cl; at the rate of 170 N lbs/acre) for 0, 3, 7, 14, 35, 63, and 98 days. Moisture content was maintained at field capacity during the incubation. Measurements of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) concentrations and 15N:14N ratios will be analyzed to assess the impact of biochar on soil gross N transformation and nitrification and mineralization rates. The use of the 15N fertilizer will allow us to distinguish between fertilizer and soil organic matter sources of NH4+ and NO3-. A detailed understanding of biochar effects on N cycling in soils is needed to more accurately calibrate and if necessary revise the new biochar module in the APSIM cropping systems model to better predict biochar impact on soil N bio-availability and N leaching.

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Biochar Period: If You Have Data We Want to See It (includes student competition)