Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass pyrolysis, is a promising tool for achieving soil carbon neutrality and mitigating climate change. This review synthesizes the mechanisms through which biochar enhances carbon sequestration and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This review elucidates that biochar contributes to a net carbon sink through its inherent chemical recalcitrance by inducing a negative priming effect (PE), whereby it protects native soil organic carbon from microbial mineralization via physical encapsulation within aggregates and organo-mineral complexation. Furthermore, biochar application reduces N2O and CH4 emissions by altering soil conditions and microbial communities, promoting complete denitrification, and suppressing methanogenesis. Critically, the efficacy of biochar is governed by pyrolysis conditions and feedstock, which dictate its properties, and by application dosage. This study also evaluated methodologies for assessing its carbon balance, including PE measurement via 13C isotope tracing, IPCC emission coefficients, and life cycle assessment (LCA), highlighting the necessity of a comprehensive accounting framework. It is concluded that optimizing biochar production and application strategies is essential to maximize its role in sustainable soil management and achieving global carbon neutrality goals.
Source: Biochar X
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Climate action, Life on land
Open Access status: diamond
Award: G5790713547
OpenAlex ID: W7128493904