[Effects of biochar on soil nitrogen cycle and related mechanisms: a review].

Biochar has its unique physical and chemical properties, playing a significant role in soil amelioration, nutrient retention, fertility improvement, and carbon storage, and being a hotspot in the research areas of soil ecosystem, biogeochemical cycling, and agricultural carbon sequestration. As a kind of anthropogenic materials, biochar has the potential in controlling soil nitrogen (N) cycle directly or indirectly, and thus, has profound effects on soil ecological functions. This paper reviewed the latest literatures regarding the effects of biochar applications on soil N cycle, with the focuses on the nitrogen species adsorption and the biochemical processes (nitrification, denitrification, and nitrogen fixation) , and analyzed the related action mechanisms of biochar. The future research areas for better understanding the interactions between biochar and soil N cycle were proposed.