• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Different physical and chemical properties of biochar, which is made out of a variety of biomass materials, can impact water movement through amended soil. The objective of this research was to develop a decision support tool evaluating the impact of the shape and the size distribution of biochar on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity ($K_{sat}$). METHODS AND RESULTS: Plastic beads of different size and morphology were compared with biochar to assess impacts on soil $K_{sat}$. Bead and biochar were added at the rate of 5% (v/w) to coarse sand. The particle size of bead and biochar had an effect on the $K_{sat}$, with larger and smaller particle sizes than the original sand grain (0.5 mm) decreasing the $K_{sat}$ value. The equivalent size bead or biochar to the sand grains had no impact on $K_{sat}$. The amendment shape also influenced soil hydraulic properties, but only when the particle size was between 3-6 mm. Intra-particle porosity had no significant influence on the $K_{sat}$ due to its small pore size and increased tortuosity compared to the inter-particle spaces (macro-porosity). CONCLUSION: The results supported the conclusion that both particle size and shape of the amended biochar impacted the $K_{sat}$ value.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1013-1022
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• 2023

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widespread soil endophytic fungi, forming mutualistic relationships with the vast majority of land plants. Biochar (BC) has been reported to improve soil fertility and promote plant growth. However, limited studies are available concerning the combined effects of AMF and BC on soil community structure and plant growth. In this work, a pot experiment was designed to investigate the effects of AMF and BC on the rhizosphere microbial community of Allium fistulosum L. Using Illumina high-throughput sequencing, we showed that inoculation of AMF and BC had a significant impact on soil microbial community composition, diversity, and versatility. Increases were observed in both plant growth (the plant height by 8.6%, shoot fresh weight by 12.1%) and root morphological traits (average diameter by 20.5%). The phylogenetic tree also showed differences in the fungal community composition in A. fistulosum. In addition, Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed that 16 biomarkers were detected in the control (CK) and AMF treatment, while only 3 were detected in the AMF + BC treatment. Molecular ecological network analysis showed that the AMF + BC treatment group had a more complex network of fungal communities, as evidenced by higher average connectivity. The functional composition spectrum showed significant differences in the functional distribution of soil microbial communities among different fungal genera. The structural equation model (SEM) confirmed that AMF could improve the microbial multifunctionality by regulating the rhizosphere fungal diversity and soil properties. Our findings provide new information on the effects of AMF and biochar on plants and soil microbial communities.