Amelioration of Coastal Salt-Affected Soils with Biochar, Acid Modified Biochar and Wood Vinegar: Enhanced Nutrient Availability and Bacterial Community Modulation

As an important part of the ecological environment, degraded coastal soils urgently require efficient and eco-friendly soil amendment. Biochar and wood vinegar have been proved to be effective soil amendments, and acid-modified biochar has great potential in ameliorating the degraded coastal saline–alkali soil. However, the effects of individual or combined application of biochar (BC), acid-modified biochar (ABC), and wood vinegar (WV) on coastal saline–alkali soil are unknown. Hence, biochar, wood vinegar, and acid-modified biochar were prepared by pyrolysis of poplar wood. The properties of biochar were characterized, and soil incubation experiments were conducted. The results showed that ABC decreased the soil alkalinity by acid-base neutralization and improved the soil fertility by increasing the nutrients (C, N, P). ABC provided a more suitable environment and changed the abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms. ABC increased the relative contents of specific families (e.g., Pseudomonadaceae and Sphingomonadaceae), which had strong ecological linkages in the C, N, and P cycles and organic matter degradation. The results indicated that WV had little effect on coastal saline–alkali soil, whereas individual and combined application of biochar (especially ABC) showed an efficient remediation effect. Our preliminary study demonstrated that the ABC could be a suitable solution for ameliorating degraded coastal saline–alkali soils.