Impact of Biochar on Soil Ecosystems
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil Conservation and Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2025 | Viewed by 611
Special Issue Editors
2. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: biochar; soil fertility; soil microbes; plant nutrition; greenhouse gases
Interests: microbe–pollutant interactions; phytoremediation
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soil ecosystems are dynamic entities comprising biotic and abiotic components that interact to support a variety of functions such as nutrient cycling, water retention, carbon transformation, and global food production. However, these ecosystems are under great threat due to increasing soil degradation, nutrient depletion, and rapid climate change. In light of this, this Special Issue focuses on the deployment of organic amendments such as biochar to offer a sustainable solution to various ecosystem dysfunctions by restoring soil health and maintaining ecological sustainability.
Biochar—a stable, carbon-rich product obtained through the pyrolysis of organic biomass—has the ability to improve soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. Biochar is capable of buffering soil pH by avoiding extreme acidic and alkaline conditions, maintaining nutrient balance, improving water holding capacity, and reshaping microbial communities. Due to the porous and heterogeneous nature of biochar, it can adsorb heavy metals and other pollutants, reducing their bioavailability and mitigating environmental contamination. Moreover, biochar has the capacity to sequester carbon in soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the efficacy of biochar depends on several factors such as feedstock source, pyrolysis conditions, soil type, and application rate. To maximize the benefits of biochar, it is important to understand the complex interactions between biochar and soil ecosystems.
To promote and harness biochar’s potential to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation, this Special Issue aims to explore the intricate mechanisms underlining biochar’s application and different ecosystem components. The scope of this Special Issue is wide and extensive, so we invite research articles, reviews, and case studies focused on investigating the effects of biochar on various soil properties and their interactions with biochemical processes, as well as their long-term effects on agricultural productivity and environmental health. Thus, by providing insights into the science and applications of biochar, we are interested in advancing the knowledge and guiding the strategies for sustainable agriculture and environmental management.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to, exploring the effects of biochar on the following:
- Soil nutrient transformation;
- Soil enzyme activity and microbial diversity;
- Soil quality and soil health;
- Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration;
- Preparations, characterizations, and applications of various feedstock sources, along with their agricultural and environmental implications.
Dr. Rubab Sarfraz
Prof. Dr. Christopher Rensing
Dr. Azhar Hussain
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- feedstock
- buffering capacity
- heavy metals
- microbial community
- greenhouse gases
- pyrolysis
- carbon sequestration
- crop yield
- soil physical properties
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