A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics

Clough, Tim J.; Condron, Leo M.; Kammann, Claudia; Müller, Christoph

doi:10.3390/agronomy3020275

Cited by 760 publications

(553 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…Zhang et al (2010) reported that biochar application reduced N 2 O emissions in a paddy field. Clough et al (2013) reported that biochar addition initially stimulated N 2 O emissions in pasture soil in the presence of bovine urine. A range of different responses for CO 2 emissions from soil with biochar amendment has been reported in different soil (Kolb et al 2009;Spokas and Reicosky 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils

Sun

Chen

et al. 2014

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

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Both nitrogen (N) deposition and biochar can affect the emissions of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and ammonia (NH 3 ) from different soils. Here, we have established a simulated wet N deposition experiment to investigate the effects of N deposition and biochar addition on N 2 O and CO 2 emissions and NH 3 volatilization from agricultural and forest soils. Repacked soil columns were subjected to six N deposition events over a 1-year period. N was applied at rates of 0 (N0), 60 (N60), and 120 (N120) kg Nh a −1 yr −1 without or with biochar (0 and 30 t ha). For agricultural soil, adding N increased cumulative N 2 O emissions by 29.8% and 99.1% (p < 0.05) from the N60 and N120 treatments, respectively as compared to without N treatments, and N120 emitted 53.4% more (p < 0.05) N 2 O than the N60 treatment; NH 3 volatilization increased by 33.6% and 91.9% (p < 0.05) from the N60 and N120 treatments, respectively, as compared to without N treatments, and N120 emitted 43.6% more (p < 0.05) NH 3 than N60; cumulative CO 2 emissions were not influenced by N addition. For forest soil, adding N significantly increased cumulative N 2 O emissions by 141.2% (p < 0.05) and 323.0% (p < 0.05) from N60 and N120 treatments, respectively, as compared to without N treatments, and N120 emitted 75.4% more (p < 0.05) N 2 O than N60; NH 3 volatilization increased by 39.0% (p < 0.05) and 56.1% (p < 0.05) from the N60 and N120 treatments, respectively, as compared to without N treatments, and there was no obvious difference between N120 and N60 treatments; cumulative CO 2 emissions were not influenced by N addition. Biochar amendment significantly (p < 0.05) decreased cumulative N 2 O emissions by 20.2% and 25.5% from agricultural and forest soils, respectively, and increased CO 2 emissions slightly by 7.2% and NH 3 volatilization obviously by 21.0% in the agricultural soil, while significantly decreasing CO 2 emissions by 31.5% and NH 3 volatilization by 22.5% in the forest soil. These results suggest that N deposition would strengthen N 2 O and NH 3 emissions and have no effect on CO 2 emissions in both soils, and treatments receiving the higher N rate at N120 emitted obviously more N 2 O and NH 3 than the lower rate at N60. Under the simulated N deposition circumstances, biochar incorporation suppressed N 2 O emissions in both soils, and produced contrasting effects on CO 2 and NH 3 emissions, being enhanced in the agricultural soil while suppressed in the forest soil.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils

Sun

Chen

et al. 2014

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

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“…The significant difference in water table level did not, however, enhance N 2 O flux, probably due to the capability of biochar to retain NO 3 - (Mizuta et al 2004, Knowles el al. 2011, Clough et al 2013) and hence inhibit denitrification. All biochar types do not adsorb NO 3 - (Clough et al 2013, Hale et al 2013) but our biochar has been observed to decrease NO 3 -leaching in several experiments.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2011, Clough et al 2013) and hence inhibit denitrification. All biochar types do not adsorb NO 3 - (Clough et al 2013, Hale et al 2013) but our biochar has been observed to decrease NO 3 -leaching in several experiments. On the other hand, it is possible that N 2 O was further reduced to N 2 under wet conditions and thus N 2 O flux was not enhanced.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, we urgently need more research to determine the effects of biochar on N cycling during the FT cycle as the findings presented here concern only one type of biochar and one soil type. It is well recognized that biochar originating from different types of feedstock or pyrolyzed at different temperatures can have diverse effects on soil functions (Rajkovich et al 2011, Clough et al 2013.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To ameliorate these problems, cultivation techniques must be developed to keep N in the soil and thus increase N utilization by plants. Biochar addition to the agricultural soil could be one possible way to mitigate N leaching and N 2 O emissions from agricultural soils (Lehmann et al 2006, Yanai et al 2007, Clough et al 2013. Biochar addition to a soil can change the mobility and availability of NO 3 - (Singh et al 2010, Prendergast-Miller et al 2011 and NH 4 + (Ding et al 2010, Singh et al 2010 and thus diminish N leaching and the burst of N 2 O during the spring thawing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biochar can restrict N2O emissions and the risk of nitrogen leaching from an agricultural soil during the freeze-thaw period

Kettunen¹,

Saarnio²

2013

AFSci

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Freeze-thaw (FT) events in soils can cause a burst of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and enhance N leaching during the springthaw event. We studied whether a soil amended with wood-derived (spruce chips) biochar (10 tonnes ha -1 ), produced at rather low temperatures (400-450°C), could reduce the burst of N 2 O and the risk of N leaching from an agricultural soil after a FT event. A short-term laboratory experiment (4 weeks) was conducted with 24 vegetated (Phleum pratense) mesocosms (12 controls, 12 biochar-treated) that had spent a dormant season in the dark at 15°C for two months after the growing season. N 2 O efflux to the atmosphere and ammonium (NH 4 + -N) and nitrate (NO 3 -N) in the percolated soil water were monitored before and after the FT event. N 2 O was monitored with the dark chamber method and analyzed using a gas chromatograph. We found that soil amended biochar can significantly diminish the burst of N 2 O after the soil FT event (by 61% just after FT event) and substantially reduce the risk of NO 3 -N and NH 4 + -N leaching from the agricultural soil. Compared to the control, the decrement in concentrations of NO 3 -N and NH 4 + -N in water percolated through the biochar amended soil in the mesocosms was 58% and 22%, respectively.

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Biochar Production and Amendment

Sun

Han

Gao

et al. 2022

Multi‐Scale Biogeochemical Processes in Soil Ecosystems

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A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics

Cited by 760 publications

References 89 publications

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils

Biochar can restrict N2O emissions and the risk of nitrogen leaching from an agricultural soil during the freeze-thaw period

Biochar Production and Amendment

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A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics

Cited by 760 publications

References 89 publications

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N2O, CO2and NH3from agricultural and forest soils

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N2O, CO2and NH3from agricultural and forest soils

Biochar can restrict N2O emissions and the risk of nitrogen leaching from an agricultural soil during the freeze-thaw period

Biochar Production and Amendment

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils

Combined effects of nitrogen deposition and biochar application on emissions of N₂O, CO₂and NH₃from agricultural and forest soils