Biochar and organic substitution improved net ecosystem economic benefit in intensive vegetable production

Abstract Biochar amendment and substituting chemical fertilizers with organic manure (organic substitution) have been widely reported to increase crop production decrease reactive nitrogen (Nr) loss including nitrous oxide (N 2 O), nitric (NO), ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions, N runoff leaching. However, few comprehensive evaluations performed on the environmental economic aspects of biochar or substitution. Here, we studied effects amendment, substitution, combined substitution production, Nr loss, net ecosystem benefit (NEEB) in intensive vegetable by integrating life-cycle assessment for footprints, empirical models NH volatilization leaching derived from peer-reviewed publications validated current measurements direct field measurement O NO emissions during 5 consecutive years rotations. Five fertilization treatments were applied (SN: synthetic fertilizer application; SNB: SN plus 20 t ha −1 amendment; SNM: 50% manure; SNMB: SNM CK: no addition). Compared SN, SNB increased yield (28.4%, p < 0.05; interannually varying − 10 74.9%) use efficiency (29.2%, 39.7 150.4%), decreased (45.4%, 0.01; 40.3 78.4%), thus improved NEEB 7.1%; meanwhile, (11.6%, 5.4 27.1%) (45.7%, 2.3 154%), reduced (34.9%, 8.4–39.0%), 17.8% (p 0.05) compared being 56.0 × Chinese Yuan (CNY) . Due high foreground input costs SNMB 8.0% as SN. Moreover, qualities increasing protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C contents while decreasing nitrate content 0.05). Therefore, single application would achieve better product quality production. Graphical