Biochar and its potential to increase water, trace element, and nutrient retention in soils

The physical and geochemical modifications to soils following biochar amendment are intimately linked, especially in coarse-textured acidic soils, where biochars' inherent soil water retention abilities effectively hold nutrients and trace elements in pore spaces. The magnitude of these effects is biochar type and dose specific but can be long-lasting. As a result, adding biochars to some degraded soils can increase soil moisture holding, nutrients, and trace element retention such that they can be utilized as a part of plant-based remediation efforts. Here we present and discuss data and review evidence of linkages between soil water retention and nutrient and trace element geochemistry in soils amended with biochars.