Incorporating Biochar Into Biogeochemical Models: Achievements and Challenges

In the last two decades, several studies have utilized biogeochemical models to evaluate the impact of different edaphoclimatic conditions on soil carbon storage and the dynamics of soil organic carbon. At the same time, biochar, a carbon-rich material obtained from the pyrolysis of biomass residues, has been identified as a promising carbon sequestration material. However, current models do not adequately incorporate the role of biochar in soil management. In this context, the current state of research on biogeochemical models that include the entry of biochar into soil has been characterized. The research indicated that the development of studies on the topic “biochar” is widely explored, with 4259 papers being identified using the first search filter. Specifically, searching for studies that mentioned terms related to biogeochemical models for estimating soil carbon stock, it was observed that a small number of the studies (N = 46) considered the entry of biochar into the models. Although most studies have used the RothC model to simulate biochar within biogeochemical models, biochar inputs have also been implemented in APSIM, EPIC, Century, DNDC, and other models, including those not primarily focused on soil carbon stock estimation. Among these studies, the minority included the results of calibration and validation of the models, which are paramount for the model's credibility. Therefore, efforts must be concentrated on solving the lack of valuable data to validate the models. Data from long-term field experiments that consider interactions between crop and climate conditions are highly desirable. The possibility of increasing carbon stocks by incorporating biochar into the soil could promote environmental and financial gains, and biogeochemical models that consider the incorporation of biochar are valuable tools for decision-makers.