Revitalizing Degraded Soils: The Role of Biochar in Enhancing Soil Health and Productivity
Stavroula Dimitriadou, Ekavi Aikaterini Isari, Eleni Grilla, Petros Kokkinos, Ioannis K. Kalavrouziotis
Abstract
Biochar (BC), a carbonaceous material derived from biomass pyrolysis, exhibits a wide range of physicochemical properties, including a high cation exchange capacity, porosity, and specific surface area, which make it a highly valuable amendment for soil enhancement and environmental sustainability. As BC has shown strong potential to remediate soils, enhance their fertility, and increase crop productivity, it can successfully be used as a soil remediation factor. Additionally, it can play a critical role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, revealing a high sorption capacity, multifunctionality, and long-term persistence in soils, where it can remain stable for hundreds to thousands of years. The present systematic review aims at presenting the dynamics of BC when incorporated into a soil system, focusing on its pH, water-holding capacity, aeration, microbiota, and carbon and nutrient availability across various case studies, particularly in acid, saline/sodic, and heavy metal-contaminated soils. Given the variability in BC performance, robust, long-term field-based research is essential to validate the current findings and support the development of targeted and sustainable biochar applications.