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Purpose <p>The rehabilitation of urban brownfields increasingly relies on constructed Technosols made from recycled materials, yet optimal combinations of organic amendments for improving soil functionality remain poorly documented. This study aimed to assess the individual and combined effects of compost and biochar on the physicochemical, biological, and structural properties of a coarse-textured, alkaline soil from a former airstrip, with the objective of identifying synergistic interactions that enhance soil functioning and plant growth.</p> Methods <p>Six soil mixtures combining different proportions of compost and biochar were tested under greenhouse conditions using Italian ryegrass as a model plant. Soil fertility, nutrient uptake, microbial activity (BIOLOG EcoPlates), aggregate stability, and water retention at field capacity were measured to evaluate amendment impacts.</p> Results <p>Compost significantly enhanced soil fertility, increasing organic carbon (7-fold), total nitrogen (6-fold), available phosphorus (15-fold) and potassium (9-fold) concentrations, and cation exchange capacity (CEC; + 64%), as well as biomass production (+ 134%) and nutrient uptake (+ 270% to + 370%) compared to the control. Biochar alone had generally no significant impact. However, combining compost with biochar at 5% and especially at 10% resulted in predominantly additive or, to a lesser extent, synergistic improvements in CEC (+ 102% to + 153%), available nutrient concentrations (by 9 to 33 times), aggregate stability (+ 22% to + 70%), and water retention at field capacity (+ 52% to + 58%). Microbial activity was generally poorly affected by compost and biochar, likely due to the intrinsic low microbe populations in the study soil.</p> Conclusion <p>Our study supports the strategic use of compost-biochar mixtures to enhance the functionality of constructed soils, with implications for nutrient cycling, water regulation, and soil structure. These findings offer operational insights for the design of high-performance Technosols aligned with circular economy principles and sustainable urban soil management.</p>

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Enhancing constructed technosol performance with compost and biochar: additive and synergistic effects on soil functionality and plant growth

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月7日

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  • Léa Kervroëdan,
  • David Houben

摘要

Purpose

The rehabilitation of urban brownfields increasingly relies on constructed Technosols made from recycled materials, yet optimal combinations of organic amendments for improving soil functionality remain poorly documented. This study aimed to assess the individual and combined effects of compost and biochar on the physicochemical, biological, and structural properties of a coarse-textured, alkaline soil from a former airstrip, with the objective of identifying synergistic interactions that enhance soil functioning and plant growth.

Methods

Six soil mixtures combining different proportions of compost and biochar were tested under greenhouse conditions using Italian ryegrass as a model plant. Soil fertility, nutrient uptake, microbial activity (BIOLOG EcoPlates), aggregate stability, and water retention at field capacity were measured to evaluate amendment impacts.

Results

Compost significantly enhanced soil fertility, increasing organic carbon (7-fold), total nitrogen (6-fold), available phosphorus (15-fold) and potassium (9-fold) concentrations, and cation exchange capacity (CEC; + 64%), as well as biomass production (+ 134%) and nutrient uptake (+ 270% to + 370%) compared to the control. Biochar alone had generally no significant impact. However, combining compost with biochar at 5% and especially at 10% resulted in predominantly additive or, to a lesser extent, synergistic improvements in CEC (+ 102% to + 153%), available nutrient concentrations (by 9 to 33 times), aggregate stability (+ 22% to + 70%), and water retention at field capacity (+ 52% to + 58%). Microbial activity was generally poorly affected by compost and biochar, likely due to the intrinsic low microbe populations in the study soil.

Conclusion

Our study supports the strategic use of compost-biochar mixtures to enhance the functionality of constructed soils, with implications for nutrient cycling, water regulation, and soil structure. These findings offer operational insights for the design of high-performance Technosols aligned with circular economy principles and sustainable urban soil management.