@Article{phyton.2020.09125,
AUTHOR = {Weiwei Lu, Yirui Zhang, Yixian Yao, Yuying Wu, Han Y. H. Chen, Hailin Zhang, Jia Yu, Caiqin Shen, Qi Liu, Honghua Ruan},
TITLE = {Biochar-Induced Priming Effects in Young and Old Poplar Plantation Soils},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {89},
YEAR = {2020},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {13--26},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v89n1/38395},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {The priming effect (PE) induced by biochar provides a basis for 
evaluating its carbon (C) sequestration potential in soils. A 60 days’ laboratory 
incubation was conducted, which involved the amendment of biochar (1% of soil 
mass) produced from rice straw at 300ºC (B300) and 500ºC (B500) to young (Y) 
and old (O) poplar plantation soils, with the aim of studying the responses of 
biochar-induced PEs to poplar plantation ages. This incubation included six 
treatments: Y + CK (control), Y + B300, Y + B500, O + CK, O + B300, and O +
B500. Carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions were significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in 
the B300 amended soils, while it was decreased in the B500 amended soils 
compared to the CK. The primed CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were 2.35 times higher in the Y
+ B300 than the O + B300 treatments, which was measured to be 18.6 and 5.56 
mg C·kg<sup>-1</sup> with relative PEs of 12.4% and 3.35%, respectively. However, there 
was little difference between the primed CO2 emissions in Y + B500 and O +
B500 treatments, which were measured to be -24.9 and -29.6 mg·C·kg<sup>-1</sup> with 
relative PEs of -16.6% and -17.8%, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon 
(DOC) was significantly lower in the young poplar plantation soil than that in the 
old poplar plantation soil regardless of biochar amendment throughout the 
incubation, indicating greater C-limit of soil microorganisms in the young poplar 
plantation soil. Using <sup>13</sup>C isotope tracing, neither B300 nor B500 decreased 
native soil-derived DOC, which indicated that the negative B500-induced PEs 
were not due to a reduction in the availability of native soil-derived C. In 
conclusion, the response of biochar-induced PEs to poplar plantation age 
depends on biochar types while soil available C indirectly affects biocharinduced PEs. Further studies should focus on how the interactive effects between 
soil C availability and microbial community impacts biochar-induced PEs.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2020.09125}
}