The molar H:Corg ratio of biochar is a key factor in mitigating N2O emissions from soil
Open accessAbstract
A previously published meta-analysis of biochar impacts on soil N2O emissions by Cayuela et al. (2014) found a “grand mean” reduction in N2O emissions of 54±6% following biochar application to soil. Here we update this analysis to include 26 additional manuscripts bringing the total to 56 articles. The updated meta-analysis confirms that biochar reduces soil N2O emissions by 49±5% (mean±95% confidence interval). Importantly, this meta-analysis has sufficient data to investigate the impact of biochar under field conditions, showing a statistically significant lower average reduction in the field (28±16%) compared to controlled laboratory studies (54±3%). A key finding is the importance of the molar H:Corg ratio of biochar in determining mitigation of N2O. Biochars with a molar H:Corg ratio <0.3, indicative of a high degree of aromatic condensation, lowered N2O emissions by 73±7% while biochars with a molar H:Corg ratio >0.5 were less effective at 40±16%. Together with previously published information, our new results suggest that a key mitigation mechanism is linked to the degree of polymerization and aromaticity of biochar.
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Biochar with a high H:Corg ratio over 0.3 is much less effective, lowering N2O emissions by 40 ± 16%.
“In contrast, biochar with a high H:Corg ratio over 0.3 is much less effective (i.e., lowers N 2 O emissions by 40 ± 16%) (Cayuela et al. 2015).”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Cayuela et al. 2015
Biochar with a high aromaticity possesses a H:Corg ratio below 0.3, which lowers N2O emissions by 73 ± 7% on average.
“Biochar with a high aromaticity possesses a H:Corg ratio below 0.3, which lowers N 2 O emissions by 73 ± 7% on average.”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Cayuela et al. 2015
Cites
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- Authors
- Cayuela, M. L., Jeffery, S., & van Zwieten, L.
- Affiliations
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Cayuela, M.L.
- Venue
- Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-04
- Volume
- 202
- Pages
- 135-138
- ISSN
- 0167-8809 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2007318876
- Cited by
- 213
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 22.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- research.wur.nl
- Locations
- Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment (publishedVersion)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
- EPubDev Repository (submittedVersion)
- RUNE (Research UNE) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Keywords
- biochar, nitrous oxide emissions, aromaticity, degree of polymerization, laboratory versus field conditions, greenhouse gas emissions reduction
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