Soil organic carbon storage from biochar addition falls over time: a perspective of shifts in soil extracellular enzyme activity
2025
Ji Chen | Jiacong Zhou | Pete Smith | Genxing Pan
The effects of biochar addition on soil organic carbon storage vary across different ecosystems and temporal scales due to the poor mechanistic understanding of the microbially mediated soil organic carbon cycling with biochar addition. Extracellular enzymes produced by plants and soil microorganisms play a crucial role in the decomposition of organic matter and the regulation of soil organic carbon cycling. Biochar addition may affect cellulase and ligninase enzyme activities through altered soil organic matter chemistry and microbial community restructuring. This perspective proposes that biochar addition generally enhances ligninase activity targeting complex carbon macromolecules while suppressing cellulase activity targeting readily decomposable carbon compounds. These contrasting responses help explain the reductions in soil organic carbon storage associated with long-term biochar addition. It is important to note that soil organic carbon sequestration is influenced by both carbon inputs and outputs, in addition to changes in soil extracellular enzyme activity. Consequently, the effectiveness of biochar in enhancing soil organic carbon storage depends on various factors related to biochar production and environmental conditions, which complicates the development of universal management strategies. Overall, by focusing on soil extracellular enzymes, a deeper understanding can be gained of the complex interactions among biochar, soil microorganisms, and soil organic carbon cycling.
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