Abstract
The agricultural sector plays a vital role in mitigating soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration. One promising approach is wood biochar produced through gasification, which generates both syngas and stable biochar. This study evaluates the effects of wood gasification biochar (WGB) on subalkaline soil under Mediterranean climate conditions. A field experiment was conducted over two cropping years, monitoring soil N 2 O, CH 4 , and CO 2 fluxes, along with temperature and water content, for two treatments: unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB. Additionally, soil physicochemical properties at 0–10 cm and 10–40 cm depths and wheat yield were assessed. In the WGB treatment, soil N 2 O, CH 4 , and CO 2 fluxes remained unchanged, though a slight increase in soil temperature (+0.1 °C) was observed. No significant differences were detected in soil pH, total and ammoniacal nitrogen, bulk density, or cation exchange capacity. However, soil nitric nitrogen levels significantly decreased. Soil carbon stock increased 2.2-fold at 0–10 cm and 1.4-fold at 10–40 cm, with this effect persisting into the second year. Wheat yield remained comparable between treatments, averaging ∼2.0 Mg ha −1 (control) vs. ∼1.8 Mg ha −1 (WGB) in year one and ∼3.9 Mg ha −1 vs. ∼3.1 Mg ha −1 in year two. These findings indicate that wood gasification biochar enhances soil carbon sequestration without affecting GHG emissions or wheat yield, reinforcing its potential for sustainable soil management and circular agriculture. • Wood gasification biochar increased soil carbon stock by 124 % over 2 years. • Wood gasification biochar diminished soil nitric N levels. • Wood gasification biochar did not influence soil pH and water content. • Wood gasification biochar did not affect soil N 2 O, CH 4 and CO 2 fluxes. • Wood gasification biochar did not reduce wheat yield.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar left soil greenhouse gas fluxes unchanged.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume1 - Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- soil N 2 O, CH 4 , and CO 2 fluxese0
- Direction
- remained unchangede0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the WGB treatment, soil N 2 O, CH 4 , and CO 2 fluxes remained unchanged”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar slightly increased soil temperature by 0.1 °C.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- soil temperaturee0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- +0.1 °Ce0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a slight increase in soil temperature (+0.1 °C) was observed”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar did not significantly change several soil physicochemical properties.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- soil pH, total and ammoniacal nitrogen, bulk density, or cation exchange capacitye0
- Direction
- No significant differencese0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“No significant differences were detected in soil pH, total and ammoniacal nitrogen, bulk density, or cation exchange capacity”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar significantly decreased soil nitric nitrogen.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- soil nitric nitrogen levelse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“soil nitric nitrogen levels significantly decreased”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar increased topsoil carbon stock 2.2-fold.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- Soil carbon stocke0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 2.2-folde0
- Qualifier
- 0–10 cme0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil carbon stock increased 2.2-fold at 0–10 cm”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar increased deeper soil carbon stock 1.4-fold.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume2
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe2
- Outcome
- Soil carbon stocke1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 1.4-folde0
- Qualifier
- 10–40 cme0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“1.4-fold at 10–40 cm, with this effect persisting into the second year”
e1“Soil carbon stock increased 2.2-fold at 0–10 cm and 1.4-fold at 10–40 cm”
e2“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
Claim · model-written summary
Wheat yield remained comparable between biochar and control treatments.
- Taxon
- WheatTriticum aestivume0
- Treatment
- wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGBe1
- Outcome
- Wheat yielde0
- Direction
- remained comparablee0
- Comparator
- unamended wheat (control)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Wheat yield remained comparable between treatments”
e1“unamended wheat (control) and wheat amended with 60 Mg ha −1 of WGB”
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