Biochar decomposition in agricultural soils of temperate climate

Summary

Results
› Carbon mineralization rates were highest in maize straw and lowest in pyrochar amended soil.
› Pyrochar showed even lower CO2 fluxes than non-amended soil.
› Initial mineralization rates of maize straw and hydrochar were higher in soil M, whereas in Soil D the pyrochar was decomposed slightly faster.
› Hydrochar derived carbon was readily incorporated in the microbial biomass of both soils, pyrochar resisted nearly completely.
› Comparison of carbon pools CO2 , Cmic and Corg at day 12 and day 205 shows that a stabilsation of maize feedstock of more than a double could be achieved with HTC and far beyond that scale with pyrolysis.