biostudies-literatureUnknown4Singh BPBiochar can influence native soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralisation through "priming effects". However, the long-term direction, persistence and extent of SOC priming by biochar remain uncertain. Using natural (13)C abundance and under controlled laboratory conditions, we show that biochar-stimulated SOC mineralisation ("positive priming") caused a loss of 4 to 44 mg C g(-1) SOC over 2.3 years in a clayey, unplanted soil (0.42% OC). Positive priming was greater for manure-based or 400°C biochars, cf. plant-based or 550°C biochars, but was trivial relative to recalcitrant C in biochar. From 2.3 to 5.0 years, the amount of positively-primed soil CO2-C in the biochar treatments decreased by 4 to 7 mg C g(-1) SOC. We conclude that biochar stimulates native SOC mineralisation in the low-C clayey soil but that this effect decreases with time, possibly due to depletion of labile SOC from initial positive priming, and/or stabilisation of SOC caused by biochar-induced organo-mineral interactions.Scientific reports3687https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3896930biostudies-literatureLong-term influence of biochar on native organic carbon mineralisation in a low-carbon clayey soil.PMC3896930Singh BPCowie ALfalseLong-term influence of biochar on native organic carbon mineralisation in a low-carbon clayey soil.Biochar can influence native soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralisation through "priming effects". However, the long-term direction, persistence and extent of SOC priming by biochar remain uncertain. Using natural (13)C abundance and under controlled laboratory conditions, we show that biochar-stimulated SOC mineralisation ("positive priming") caused a loss of 4 to 44 mg C g(-1) SOC over 2.3 years in a clayey, unplanted soil (0.42% OC). Positive priming was greater for manure-based or 400°C biochars, cf. plant-based or 550°C biochars, but was trivial relative to recalcitrant C in biochar. From 2.3 to 5.0 years, the amount of positively-primed soil CO2-C in the biochar treatments decreased by 4 to 7 mg C g(-1) SOC. We conclude that biochar stimulates native SOC mineralisation in the low-C clayey soil but that this effect decreases with time, possibly due to depletion of labile SOC from initial positive priming, and/or stabilisation of SOC caused by biochar-induced organo-mineral interactions.2014-01-01T00:00:00Z2014 Jan2024-11-08T13:55:51.783Z2019-03-27T01:20:19ZS-EPMC38969302444605010.1038/srep03687