@article{fdi:010070507,
  title = {{R}elevance of taking into account the fine scale soil variability to assess the effects of agricultural inputs on soil characteristics and soil microbial communities : a case study of biochar application in a rubber plantation in {N}orth {E}ast {T}hailand},
  author = {{L}e {G}uen, {M}.{E}. and {H}errmann, {L}. and {R}obain, {H}enri and {W}iriyakitnateekul, {W}. and {O}liveira, {T}. de and {R}obin, {A}. and {S}rimawong, {P}. and {B}räu, {L}. and {L}esueur, {D}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n agricultural studies, estimating and testing differences between treatment regimes in a designed experiment usually determines the subsequent success or failure of inputs or management practices. {F}ine-scale soil variability of the experimental site can reduce statistical power and should be determined in order to optimize the experiment design. {A}lthough randomization is often performed, there is a probability that such randomization does not cover for fine scale soil variability. {T}o determine the effect of this fine scale soil variability, a well characterized test system comprising of biochar's effects on soil microbial communities were studied, in conjunction with {E}lectrical {R}esisitivity {T}omography ({ERT}) to identify its role on biochar's differential interaction with soil microbial communities. {T}wo main soil profiles were identified by the {ERT} survey and soil characteristics and soil microbial communities were differently affected by the biochar application with regards to soil profile. {F}ungal communities (mycorrhization intensity and fungal richness in particular) seemed to be more strongly affected than bacterial communities, however, these effects didn't show a similar trend in between the two studied soil profiles. {C}onsequently, most of the effects of biochar application were masked by the soil variability of the experimental site when analysed in a nested design with randomization. {O}ur results support the relevance of taking fine scale soil variability into account prior to the establishment of a field trial to optimize experimental design.},
  keywords = {{THAILANDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eoderma},
  volume = {305},
  numero = {},
  pages = {21--29},
  ISSN = {0016-7061},
  year = {2017},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.05.028},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010070507},
}