Mechanisms of biochar effects on thermal properties of red soil in south China

Soil thermal properties play crucial roles in governing heat storage and conduction across soil profiles and affect various soil processes by determining soil microclimate. Biochar has gained wide attention as a soil amendment to affect a series of soil physiochemical properties. However, little information is available on the integrated effects of biochar application on soil thermal properties. Disturbed soil columns with consistent bulk density (1.3 g cm−3) were packed using clayey red soil and wheat straw biochar at application rates (w/w) of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%. Besides, a 2-year field experiment of biochar application at the same application rates with crop rotation was performed in a red soil region in south China. Soil thermal properties, i.e. thermal capacity, conductivity and diffusivity, were measured with heat pulse method for disturbed soil columns and undisturbed soil cores from the field at controlled soil water contents ranging from 0% to 40% at an interval of 5%. Furthermore, soil thermal properties were measured in situ for different biochar treatments under field conditions. For the disturbed soil columns, no significant effect of biochar application on soil thermal properties was detected at most of the soil water content levels. Additionally, it indicated that biochar application cannot directly affect soil thermal properties by changing soil solid substances composition at application rates up to 2.5% w/w. The results from undisturbed soil cores showed significant decreasing effects of biochar application on soil thermal capacity and diffusivity at most of the soil water content levels. The results from in situ measurement showed significant decreasing effect of biochar application on soil thermal capacity, conductivity and diffusivity. Two main underlying mechanisms were identified for the effects of biochar application on soil thermal properties. One is the negative effect of biochar application on soil thermal capacity and conductivity by increasing the soil total porosity, mainly by increase in the meso- and macro-porosity. The other is the positive effects of biochar application on soil thermal properties by increasing the soil water content through improved soil water retention ability. The negative effects through change in the soil structure were the dominant effect under field condition.