Parent soil type modulates biochar and mowing effects on soil microbial communities in karst region.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Karst ecosystems are highly susceptible to degradation due to their inherent fragility and poor soil conditions. Soil microorganisms play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem recovery. While biochar application has been shown to enhance microbial activity, its interaction with mowing-a common grassland management practice-and whether such effects vary with soil type remain unclear.

Methods

A 1-year mesocosm experiment was conducted using red and calcareous soils from southwest China, with four treatments: control (CK), biochar (B), mowing (M), and combined biochar-mowing (BM). Highthroughput sequencing was used to assess microbial abundance, alpha diversity, and community structure.

Results

We found that the individual and combined effects of

SUBMITTER: Yi X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12602502 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature