Biochar-Induced Microbial Shifts: Advancing Soil Sustainability

Meesha Sharma (), Rishabh Kaushik, Maharaj K. Pandit and Yi-Hsuan Lee
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Meesha Sharma: Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
Rishabh Kaushik: Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre, Warfield, Bracknell RG42 6EY, UK
Maharaj K. Pandit: Residential College 4, National University of Singapore, 6 College Avenue East, Singapore 138614, Singapore
Yi-Hsuan Lee: Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Biochar utilisation as a soil enhancer has gathered considerable interest owing to its notable capacity to boost soil productivity, enhance carbon sequestration, and improve agricultural sustainability. Nonetheless, how biochar affects the soil microbiome, a key to soil health and ecological functioning, remains a contested subject. Given the critical role microbial communities play in maintaining soil health and functioning, variations in soil microbiota may have a substantial impact on soil fertility and stability. Despite a wealth of studies on the effects of biochar on soil microbial communities, the results demonstrate that the reaction of the microbiome to biochar varies greatly depending on the edaphic and biochar properties and other factors such as the experimental conditions and agricultural practices. Notably, different components of the soil microbiome may respond to soil/biochar properties in a unique way, which makes generalising the impacts of biochar on the soil microbiome a difficult task. In this review, we comprehensively examine the factors governing the impacts of biochar on the soil microbiome, especially in terms of its repercussions on microbial diversity, community structure, and functional dynamics, and the potential ramifications for agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: biochar; soil microbiome; bacteria; fungi; microbial biomass; soil enzyme; agricultural sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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