Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Soil Microbial Ecology

Soil Microbial Ecology

Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Impact of land use change on the long-term economic value of carbon sequestration in Central Alborz, Iran.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Long-term monitoring of soil organic matter-related properties influenced by reciprocal changes in grasslands and croplands.

Environmental research·2026

Same author

Whey Processed Oxymel induces apoptosis and S-phase arrest in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Regenerative potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) in dental and periodontal tissue engineering: a systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies.

BMC oral health·2026

Same author

Vitamin D Status and Supplementation and the Functional Outcomes of Human Musculoskeletal Tissues: A Stratified Systematic Review.

Health science reports·2026

Same author

Angiogenic Imbalance Models of Preeclampsia: From Mechanisms to Clinics.

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites

Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites

Published on: November 28, 2014

Improving soil function properties in semi-arid regions using modified-chitosan and biochar.

Fatemeh Heidari¹, Ghasem Ali Dianati Tilaki¹, Yahya Kooch¹

¹Faculty of Natural Resources & Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, 46417-76489, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran.

Journal of Environmental Management

|June 29, 2025

Summary

Biochar and modified chitosan significantly improve semi-arid soil health by enhancing water retention, fertility, and microbial activity. These soil amendments offer a sustainable solution for degraded ecosystem restoration.

Keywords:

Fertility Land management Microbial activities Soil modifier Water holding capacity

More Related Videos

Transformation of Organic Household Leftovers into a Peat Substitute

Transformation of Organic Household Leftovers into a Peat Substitute

Published on: July 9, 2019

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites

Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites

Published on: November 28, 2014

Transformation of Organic Household Leftovers into a Peat Substitute

Transformation of Organic Household Leftovers into a Peat Substitute

Published on: July 9, 2019

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Soil Science
Ecology

Background:

Soil function is critical for ecosystem restoration, especially in semi-arid regions.
Soil amendments like biochar and chitosan can improve soil properties, but their combined effects are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of biochar and modified chitosan on soil physico-chemical and microbial properties.
To evaluate their effectiveness in semi-arid rangelands.

Main Methods:

Field experiment with varying doses of modified chitosan and Azolla filiculoides biochar.
Analysis of soil bulk density, water retention, nutrient content (C, N, P, K), enzyme activities (urease, invertase), and microbial parameters (respiration, biomass carbon).

Main Results:

Highest amendment doses reduced bulk density by 13% and increased water retention by 13%.
Soil fertility indicators (C, N, P, K) increased significantly (2.2, 2.2, 1.4, 5-fold, respectively).
Enzyme activities and microbial biomass (respiration, microbial biomass carbon) showed 1.5 to 2-fold increases.

Conclusions:

Combined application of biochar and modified chitosan effectively enhances soil physico-chemical and microbial properties in semi-arid regions.
These amendments, derived from waste materials, present a low-cost, eco-friendly approach for degraded ecosystem restoration.