Effects of biochar amendment on root traits and contaminant availability of maize plants in a copper and arsenic impacted soil
Brennan, Aoife and Moreno Jiménez, Eduardo and Puschenreiter, Markus and Albuquerque, José Antonio and Switzer, Christine (2014) Effects of biochar amendment on root traits and contaminant availability of maize plants in a copper and arsenic impacted soil. Plant and Soil, 379 (1-2). pp. 351-360. ISSN 0032-079X (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2074-0)
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Abstract
Biochar has been proposed as a tool to enhance phytostabilisation of contaminated soils but little data are available to illustrate the direct effect on roots in contaminated soils. This work aimed to investigate specific root traits and to assess the effect of biochar amendment on contaminant availability. Amendment with two different types of biochar, pine woodchip and olive tree pruning, was assessed in a rhizobox experiment with maize planted in a soil contaminated with significant levels of copper and arsenic. Amendment was found to significantly improve root traits compared to the control soil, particularly root mass density and root length density. Copper uptake to plants and ammonium sulphate extractable copper was significantly less in the biochar amended soils. Arsenic uptake and extractability varied with type of biochar used but was not considered to be the limiting factor affecting root and shoot development. Root establishment in contaminated soils can be enhanced by biochar amendment but choice of biochar is key to maximising soil improvement and controlling contaminant availability.
ORCID iDs
Brennan, Aoife, Moreno Jiménez, Eduardo, Puschenreiter, Markus, Albuquerque, José Antonio and Switzer, Christine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3679-7683;-
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Item type: Article ID code: 47175 Dates: DateEvent30 June 2014Published7 March 2014Published Online20 February 2014AcceptedSubjects: Technology > Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) Department: Faculty of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering Depositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 12 Mar 2014 11:07 Last modified: 03 Dec 2024 01:13 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/47175