Effects of biochar and freeze‒thaw cycles on the bacterial community and multifunctionality in a cold black soil area

Guoxin Shi; Renjie Hou; Tianxiao Li; Qiang Fu; Jinwu Wang; Wenqi Zhou; Zhongbin Su; Weizheng Shen; Yijia Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118302

Effects of biochar and freeze‒thaw cycles on the bacterial community and multifunctionality in a cold black soil area

J Environ Manage. 2023 Sep 15:342:118302. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118302. Epub 2023 May 31.

Authors

Guoxin Shi¹, Renjie Hou¹, Tianxiao Li², Qiang Fu³, Jinwu Wang⁴, Wenqi Zhou⁴, Zhongbin Su⁵, Weizheng Shen⁵, Yijia Wang⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.
² School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China. Electronic address: litianxiao@neau.edu.cn.
³ School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Effective Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Water Conservancy Engineering in Cold Region, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China. Electronic address: fuqiang0629@126.com.
⁴ School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.
⁵ School of Electrical and Telecommunication, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.
⁶ Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,999077, China.

PMID: 37267765
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118302

Abstract

Global climate change has altered soil freeze‒thaw cycle events, and little is known about soil microbe response to and multifunctionality regarding freeze‒thaw cycles. Therefore, in this study, biochar was used as a material to place under seasonal freeze-thaw cycling conditions. The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of biochar to regulate the function of freeze-thaw soil cycles to ensure spring sowing and food production. The results showed that biochar significantly increased the richness and diversity of soil bacteria before and after freezing-thawing. In the freezing period, the B50 treatment had the greatest improvement effect (2.6% and 5.5%, respectively), while in the thawing period, the B75 treatment had the best improvement effect. Biochar changed the composition and distribution characteristics of the bacterial structure and enhanced the multifunctionality of freeze-thaw soil and the stability of the bacterial symbiotic network. Compared with the CK treatment, the topological characteristics of the bacterial ecological network of the B50 treatment increased the most. They were 0.89 (Avg.degree), 9.79 (Modularity), 9 (Nodes), and 255 (Links). The freeze-thaw cycle decreased the richness and diversity of the bacterial community and changed the composition and distribution of the bacterial community, and the total bacterial population decreased by 658 (CK), 394 (B25), 644 (B50) and 86 (B75) during the thawing period compared with the freezing period. The soil multifunctionality in the freezing period was higher than that during the thawing period, indicating that the freeze-thaw cycle reduced soil ecological function. From the perspective of abiotic analysis, the decrease in soil multifunctionality was due to the decrease in soil nutrients, enzyme activities, soil basic respiration and other singular functions. From the perspective of bacteria, the decrease in soil multifunctionality was mainly due to the change in the Actinobacteriota group. This work expands the understanding of biochar ecology in cold black soil. These results are conducive to the sustainable development of soil ecological function in cold regions and ultimately ensure crop growth and food productivity.

Keywords: Bacterial community; Biochar; Freeze‒thaw cycle; Microbial symbiotic network; Multifunctionality.

MeSH terms

Bacteria
Charcoal* / chemistry
Freezing
Soil Microbiology
Soil* / chemistry

Substances

biochar
Soil
Charcoal