Biochar application differentially affects soil micro-, meso-macro-fauna and plant productivity within a nature restoration grassland

Biochar is proposed as an option to sequester carbon (C) in soils and promote other soil-based ecosystem services. However, its impact on soil biota from micro to macroscale remains poorly understood. We investigated biochar effects on the soil biota across the soil food web, on plant community composition and on biomass production. We conducted a field experiment in a nature restoration grassland testing four treatments: two biochar types (herbaceous feedstock pyrolyzed at 400 °C or 600 °C – hereafter B400 and B600), and a positive (i.e. unpyrolysed biochar feedstock, hereafter Hay) and negative (no addition) control. Responses of plants and soil biota were evaluated one and three years after establishing the treatments.