Rice husk biochar reduces Cd availability by affecting microbial community activity and structure in Cd-contaminated soils

Biochar was used widely to deal with cadmium (Cd) pollution in soils. An indoor incubation experiment to investigate the effects of biochar on the structure and Cd-related functions of soil microbial communities under different concentration of Cd stress. A 180-day soil incubation experiment was performed by applying rice husk biochar (BC). At different time periods, Cd forms, chemical properties, and enzyme activities in soils were determined, and the effects of BC on the structure and function of microbial communities in soils with various Cd concentrations were explored by high-throughput sequencing. Compared to CK, BC significantly facilitated the conversion of bioavailable Cd to residual Cd, especially in medium Cd-contaminated soil where the residual Cd content increased by 76.35