Biochar-induced reduction of N2O emission from East Asian soils under aerobic conditions: Review and data analysis

Highlights: • Nitrous oxide reduction (Rindex) of biochar (BC) was affected by experimental types. • Rindex was greater at a higher BC rate and in a shorter experimental duration. • Biochar feedstock and pyrolysis temperature affected Rindex. • Soil properties and fertilizer types rarely affected Rindex. • Unit Rindex per BC rate was rarely affected by biochar, soil, and fertilizer types. Global meta-analyses showed that biochar application can reduce N₂O emission. However, no relevant review study is available for East Asian countries which are responsible for 70% of gaseous N losses from croplands globally. This review analyzed data of the biochar-induced N₂O mitigation affected by experimental conditions, including experimental types, biochar types and application rates, soil properties, and chemical forms and application rates of N fertilizer for East Asian countries. The magnitude of biochar-induced N₂O mitigation was evaluated by calculating N₂O reduction index (R_index, percentage reduction of N₂O by biochar relative to control). The R_index was further standardized against biochar application rate by calculating R_index per unit of biochar application rate (ton ha⁻¹) (Unit R_index). The R_index averaged across different experimental types (n = 196) was −21.1 ± 2.4%. Incubation and pot experiments showed greater R_index than column and field experiments due to higher biochar application rate and shorter experiment duration. Feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature also affected R_index; either bamboo feedstock or pyrolysis at > 400 °C resulted in a greater R_index. The magnitude of R_index also increased with increasing biochar rate. Soil properties did not affect R_index when evaluated across all experimental types, but there was an indication that biochar decreased N₂O emission more at a lower soil moisture level in field experiments. The magnitude of R_index increased with increasing N fertilizer rate up to 500–600 kg N ha⁻¹, but it decreased thereafter. The Unit R_index averaged across experimental types was −1.2 ± 0.9%, and it was rarely affected by experimental type and conditions but diminished with increasing biochar rate. Our results highlight that since N₂O mitigation by biochar is affected by biochar application rate, R_index needs to be carefully evaluated by standardizing against biochar application rate to suggest the best conditions for biochar usage in East Asia.