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The properties and functions of biochars in forest ecosystems

  • Frontiers in Soils and Sediments • Review Article
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Abstract

Purpose

The production of large quantities of biochar from natural fires has been a part of human history for millennia, causing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and exerting long-term effects on soil processes. Despite its potential importance and recent work reflecting the wide interest in biochar, a general review of our deep understanding of biochar functions within forest soils is currently lacking. Gaps in research knowledge in this field are identified in this paper.

Materials and methods

This paper summarizes recent research to provide a better understanding of the concentrations, distribution, and characteristics of biochar produced from forest wildfire and its influences on soil processes. Perspectives and recommendations for future research on biochar in post-fire forest soils are also discussed.

Results and discussion

The concentration, distribution, and characteristics of biochar produced from forest wildfire largely depend on forest landscapes, regional climates, and mostly its feedstock and fire history, like, its duration and severity. The influences of biochar on soil processes, particularly carbon and nitrogen transformations and cycling, like, nitrification and nitrous oxide emissions reduction (Clough and Condron, J Environ Qual 39:1218–1223, 2010), are also determined mainly by the fire temperature and raw materials. Mechanisms can be attributed to the adsorption of organic compounds and nutrients or changed microenvironment, termed as charsphere, by biochar. We also identify the microbial mechanisms involved in the biochar-containing soils.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (41520104001, 41301250), the National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB441003), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Yu Luo, Zhuyun Yu, Kaile Zhang, Jianming Xu & Philip C. Brookes

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  1. Yu Luo
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  2. Zhuyun Yu
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  3. Kaile Zhang
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  4. Jianming Xu
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  5. Philip C. Brookes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jianming Xu.

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Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

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Luo, Y., Yu, Z., Zhang, K. et al. The properties and functions of biochars in forest ecosystems. J Soils Sediments 16, 2005–2020 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1483-5

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