Philippine E-Journals

Attenuation of Amoeba in Biocharamended Clayey and Sandy Soil

Pearl Aphrodite Bobon-carnice

Discipline: Ecology

 

Abstract:

Limited information has been published regarding the attenuation of microorganism, specifically amoeba in soil with biochar amendment. This study determines the attenuation of amoeba between water-saturated clay and sandy soil with biochar and to determine the effect of biochar in clayey and sandy soil with amoeba contamination in relation to its transport. Four treatments were formulated, TS (sandy soil, control), TSB (sandy soil + biochar), TC (clayey soil, control) and TCB (clayey soil + biochar) and replicated three times. The experiment was rendered using a 17cm soil column with 2.5cm diameter; all treatments were saturated and leached. Number of amoeba leached and attenuated was counted under a compound microscope. Results revealed that clayey soil attenuated more amoeba compared to sandy soil treatment due to its smaller pores. Moreover, biochar amendment in a sandy soil would enhance the attenuation of amoeba and lessen the transport of amoeba while biochar amendment in clayey soil lessens the attenuation and facilitate the transfer of amoeba. It has also been observed that at four to eight centimeters depth of the soil column, the spatial distribution of amoeba is superior. The study implies that biochar physical enhancement of soil would depend upon the initial texture of the soil.