Biochar reduces early-stage mineralization rates of plant residues more in coarse than fine-texture soils – an artificial soil approach

Abstract. Quantifying the impact of biochar on carbon persistence across soil textures is complex, owing to the variability in soil conditions. Using artificial soils with precise textural and mineral composition, we could disentangle the effects of biochar from the effects of soil particle size. We can show that biochar application significantly reduces early-stage carbon mineralization rates of plant residues in various soil textures (from 5 to 41 % clay) but more significantly in sandy soils. This finding suggests that biochar can compensate for the lack of clay in promoting C persistence in soil systems. This short report significantly contributes to understanding soil texture and biochar application interactions.