Contrasting effects of maize residue, coal gas residue and their biochars on nutrient mineralization, enzyme activities and CO emissions in sandy loess soil.

Mismanagement of crop straw and coal gas residue threatens the atmosphere and the economy. Nevertheless, thermal-pyrolysis is an option for management that turns bio-waste into biochar; its viability and adoption by the public as soil amendments is dependent on the agronomic and environmental values compared between biochar and the raw materials. We undertook a 60-day short-term analysis to assess the impact of various wastes and biochars, as well as inorganic nutrients (N), on carbon dioxide (CO) fluxes, soil enzyme activities, soil fertility status, and microbial activities.