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The Role of Biochar in Regulating the Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Cycles Exemplified by Soil Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Shu-Yuan Pan

    (Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan)

  • Cheng-Di Dong

    (Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 811213, Taiwan)

  • Jenn-Fang Su

    (Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Tamkang University, New Taipei City 251301, Taiwan)

  • Po-Yen Wang

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA)

  • Chiu-Wen Chen

    (Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 811213, Taiwan)

  • Jo-Shu Chang

    (Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung City 407224, Taiwan
    Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan)

  • Hyunook Kim

    (School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea)

  • Chin-Pao Huang

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA)

  • Chang-Mao Hung

    (Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 811213, Taiwan)

Abstract

Biochar is a carbon-rich material prepared from the pyrolysis of biomass under various conditions. Recently, biochar drew great attention due to its promising potential in climate change mitigation, soil amendment, and environmental control. Obviously, biochar can be a beneficial soil amendment in several ways including preventing nutrients loss due to leaching, increasing N and P mineralization, and enabling the microbial mediation of N 2 O and CO 2 emissions. However, there are also conflicting reports on biochar effects, such as water logging and weathering induced change of surface properties that ultimately affects microbial growth and soil fertility. Despite the voluminous reports on soil and biochar properties, few studies have systematically addressed the effects of biochar on the sequestration of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in soils. Information on microbially-mediated transformation of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) species in the soil environment remains relatively uncertain. A systematic documentation of how biochar influences the fate and transport of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen in soil is crucial to promoting biochar applications toward environmental sustainability. This report first provides an overview on the adsorption of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen species on biochar, particularly in soil systems. Then, the biochar-mediated transformation of organic species, and the transport of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in soil systems are discussed. This review also reports on the weathering process of biochar and implications in the soil environment. Lastly, the current knowledge gaps and priority research directions for the biochar-amended systems in the future are assessed. This review focuses on literatures published in the past decade (2009–2021) on the adsorption, degradation, transport, weathering, and transformation of C, N, and P species in soil systems with respect to biochar applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Shu-Yuan Pan & Cheng-Di Dong & Jenn-Fang Su & Po-Yen Wang & Chiu-Wen Chen & Jo-Shu Chang & Hyunook Kim & Chin-Pao Huang & Chang-Mao Hung, 2021. "The Role of Biochar in Regulating the Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Cycles Exemplified by Soil Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-34, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5612-:d:556585
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dominic Woolf & James E. Amonette & F. Alayne Street-Perrott & Johannes Lehmann & Stephen Joseph, 2010. "Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Nikolas Hagemann & Stephen Joseph & Hans-Peter Schmidt & Claudia I. Kammann & Johannes Harter & Thomas Borch & Robert B. Young & Krisztina Varga & Sarasadat Taherymoosavi & K. Wade Elliott & Amy McKen, 2017. "Organic coating on biochar explains its nutrient retention and stimulation of soil fertility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rong Huang & Bing Li & Yulan Chen & Qi Tao & Qiang Xu & Denghong Wen & Xuesong Gao & Qiquan Li & Xiaoyan Tang & Changquan Wang, 2022. "Biochar Application Increases Labile Carbon and Inorganic Nitrogen Supply in a Continuous Monocropping Soil," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Song, Biao & Almatrafi, Eydhah & Tan, Xiaofei & Luo, Songhao & Xiong, Weiping & Zhou, Chengyun & Qin, Meng & Liu, Yang & Cheng, Min & Zeng, Guangming & Gong, Jilai, 2022. "Biochar-based agricultural soil management: An application-dependent strategy for contributing to carbon neutrality," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

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