A Review of Biochar Effects on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties

Human agricultural and industrial activities have led to the increasing production of wastes with adverse effects onthe environmentdue to their improper disposal. One solution to reduce pressure on the environment isto plan for appropriate uses of waste materials. Biochar is a carbonaceous material producedin a process called ‘Pyrolysis’ which involves incomplete combustion of biomass and wastes in mediawith no or limited supply of oxygen. Biocharenjoyslong-term persistence in soil and the process is mainly used for waste management, climate change mitigation, energy production, and soil amelioration. Theunique properties of biocharmake it especially useful for soil application as it contributes to soil amelioration. It is capable ofaffectingsuch soil physical properties as soil structure, bulk density, and hydraulic conductivity, or such soil chemical properties as pH, cation and anion exchange capacity, and organic content while it alsoimprovessuch soil biological properties as microbial population, activity, and diversity as well asenzyme activity,all of which ultimately lead toenhanced plant yield. Although most reports have focused on the useful effects of biocharon soil, some have also investigated its negative effects.