Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Pages: 2354-2364

Journal: Science of the Total Environment

Volume number: 651

ISSN: 0048-9697

eISSN: 1879-1026

Open access status: Bronze

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.060

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Biochar can reduce both nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate (NO3-) leaching, but refining biochar's use for estimating these types of losses remains elusive. For example, biochar properties such as ash content and labile organic compounds may induce transient effects that alter N-based losses. Thus, the aim of this meta-analysis was to assess interactions between biochar-induced effects on N2O emissions and NO3- retention, regarding the duration of experiments as well as soil and land use properties. Data were compiled from 88 peer-reviewed publications resulting in 608 observations up to May 2016 and corresponding response ratios were used to perform a random effects meta-analysis, testing biochar's impact on cumulative N2O emissions, soil NO3- concentrations and leaching in temperate, semi-arid, sub-tropical, and tropical climate. The overall N2O emissions reduction was 38%, but N2O emission reductions tended to be negligible after one year. Overall, soil NO3- concentrations remained unaffected while NO3- leaching was reduced by 13% with biochar; greater leaching reductions (>26%) occurred over longer experimental times (i.e. >30 days). Biochar had the strongest N2O emission reducing effect in paddy soils (Anthrosols) and sandy soils (Arenosols). The use of biochar reduced both N2O emissions and NO3- leaching in arable farming and horticulture, but it did not affect these losses in grasslands and perennial crops. In conclusion, the time-dependent impact on N2O emissions and NO3- leaching is a crucial factor that needs to be considered in order to develop and test resilient and sustainable biochar-based N loss mitigation strategies. Our results provide a valuable starting point for future biochar-based N loss mitigation studies. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Harvard Citation style: Borchard, N., Schirrmann, M., Luz Cayuela, M., Kammann, C., Wrage-Moennig, N., Estavillo, J., et al. (2019) Biochar, soil and land-use interactions that reduce nitrate leaching and N₂O emissions: A meta-analysis, Science of the Total Environment, 651, pp. 2354-2364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.060

APA Citation style: Borchard, N., Schirrmann, M., Luz Cayuela, M., Kammann, C., Wrage-Moennig, N., Estavillo, J., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Sigua, G., Spokas, K., Ippolito, J., & Novak, J. (2019). Biochar, soil and land-use interactions that reduce nitrate leaching and N₂O emissions: A meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment. 651, 2354-2364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.060