Abiotic mechanisms for biochar effects on soil N2O emission

In this research, sterile soil columns with different contents of biochar made from apple-tree residues (0, 1 and 5% w/w) at three levels of water filled pore space (40, 60, and 80%) were set up in the laboratory to study nitrous oxide diffusion and binding processes. The results indicated that nitrous oxide emission can be effectively mitigated at 5% biochar regardless of soil water content. However, 1% biochar stimulated nitrous oxide diffusion compared to the other biochar treatments, which was opposite to expectations due to the stronger aeration than adsorption effect, while 0% had a suppression effect between 1 and 5%. Nitrous oxide emissions increased with increasing water filled pore space due to concomitantly decreasing biochar tortuousity at high water content. The increase of nitrogen from 1.11 to 1.50% on the biochar surface in the 5% treatment, and from 1.11 to 1.46% in the 100% biochar treatment, suggested that the main abiotic mechanisms for mitigation of nitrous oxide emission is adsorption and subsequent reactions with C = C bonds on apple-tree biochar surfaces since C = O and C-O bonds both increased and C=C/C-C/C-H declined.