. Apart from
sorption mechanisms, several hypotheses can be suggested to explain a possible biochar-induced decrease of NO3
leaching. One
of them is the increase of soil water holding capacity, as found by
other authors, promoted by the high biochar porosity and the
water–biochar surface interactions (H-bonds between water
molecules and biochar aromatic compounds), allowing a reduction
of the downward flux of water with dissolved nutrients
(Conte et al., 2013; Glaser et al., 2002).