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Microbial Activity, Abundance and Diversity in Organic and Conventional Agricultural Soils Amended with Biochars

Perez-Guzman, Lumarie
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503083433558626

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Biochar, the product of thermal decomposition of biomass, has been proposed as a means to improve soil quality and to sequester carbon. It is important to determine its effect on soil microorganisms as they control all fundamental soil functions. Research on biochar has had mixed effects on microbial communities; however, most studies have been done at very high biochar rates that are not practical at field levels and have used a single biochar type. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effect of diverse biochars and application rates on soil microorganisms. Microbial abundance, diversity and community structure were determined by analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), amplification of the 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA genes, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Microbial activity was assessed by measuring the enzyme activities of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis and ß-glucosidase. Results showed no difference in FDA activity in soils amended with biochar when compared to control. Conversely, biochar increased the activity of ß-glucosidase as well as the abundance and diversity of fungal communities. Furthermore, the addition of biochars significantly (p < 0.001) changed the relative abundance of bacterial phyla causing shifts in microbial populations. These results suggest that biochars influence changes in microbial community composition and enzyme activity.
Brian Lower (Committee Chair)
Richard Dick (Committee Co-Chair)
Steven Lower (Committee Member)
Olli Tuovinen (Committee Member)
185 p.
Environmental Science; Microbiology; Soil Sciences
Biochar; DGGE; NGS; PLFA; Beta-glucosidase; Fluorescein diacetate; soil microorganisms

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Perez-Guzman, L. (2017). Microbial Activity, Abundance and Diversity in Organic and Conventional Agricultural Soils Amended with Biochars [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503083433558626

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Perez-Guzman, Lumarie. Microbial Activity, Abundance and Diversity in Organic and Conventional Agricultural Soils Amended with Biochars. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503083433558626.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Perez-Guzman, Lumarie. "Microbial Activity, Abundance and Diversity in Organic and Conventional Agricultural Soils Amended with Biochars." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503083433558626

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1503083433558626
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.