Utility of wood ash, paper sludge and biochar amendments for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from acid boreal soils

Abstract

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) soils are characterized with low fertility, shallow, and acidic soils which impede agricultural productivity. Developing agriculture is a goal for the provincial government of NL and to promote soil fertility and crop productivity, manure and inorganic fertilizers application are required which may lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) from agricultural fields or cropping systems. Efforts to reduce reliance on synthetic soil amendments while taking advantage of abundant locally sourced industrial waste by-products such wood ash and paper sludge available in the province must be examined. Therefore, I hypothesized that wood ash, paper sludge and biochar may be a good source of soil amendments for improving soil health or fertility of boreal soils. I assessed the microbial activities leading to nitrogen losses and availability and functional state of the bacterial and archaeal genes (napA, narG, nirS, nirK, and nosZ) driving nitrogen transport as putative proxy indicators to produce CO2 and NOx emissions. This study provided insights into the recommendations on the suitability and potential utility of wood ash and paper sludge for improving soil quality, health, and thus agricultural productivity.