Journal article
Soil and foliar nutrient and nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) at 5 years after poultry litter and green waste biochar amendment in a macadamia orchard
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol.22(5), pp.3803-3809
2015
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the improvement in soil fertility and plant nutrient use in a macadamia orchard following biochar application. The main objectives of this study were to assess the effects of poultry litter and green waste biochar applications on nitrogen (N) cycling using N isotope composition (δ15N) and nutrient availability in a soil-plant system at a macadamia orchard, 5 years following application. Biochar was applied at 10 t ha-1 dry weight but concentrated within a 3-m diameter zone when trees were planted in 2007. Soil and leaf samples were collected in 2012, and both soil and foliar N isotope composition (δ15N) and nutrient concentrations were assessed. Both soil and foliar δ15N increased significantly in the poultry litter biochar plots compared to the green waste biochar and control plots. A significant relationship was observed between soil and plant δ15N. There was no influence of either biochars on foliar total N concentrations or soil NH4 +-N and NO3 --N, which suggested that biochar application did not pose any restriction for plant N uptake. Plant bioavailable phosphorus (P) was significantly higher in the poultry litter biochar treatment compared to the green waste biochar treatment and control. We hypothesised that the bioavailability of N and P content of poultry litter biochar may play an important role in increasing soil and plant δ15N and P concentrations. Biochar application affected soil-plant N cycling and there is potential to use soil and plant δ15N to investigate N cycling in a soil-biochar-tree crop system. The poultry litter biochar significantly increased soil fertility compared to the green waste biochar at 5 years following biochar application which makes the poultry litter a better feedstock to produce biochar compared to green waste for the tree crops.
Details
- Title
- Soil and foliar nutrient and nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) at 5 years after poultry litter and green waste biochar amendment in a macadamia orchard
- Authors
- Shahla Hosseini Bai (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringCheng Yuan Xu (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringZhihong Xu (Author) - Griffith UniversityTimothy J Blumfield (Author) - Griffith UniversityHaitao Zhao (Author) - Yangzhou University, ChinaHelen M Wallace (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringFrederique Reverchon (Author) - Instituto de Ecologia A.C., MexicoLukas Van Zwieten (Author) - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
- Publication details
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol.22(5), pp.3803-3809
- Publisher
- Springer
- Date published
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11356-014-3649-2
- ISSN
- 0944-1344
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99448796402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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