Can biomass valorization for energy production change the balance of biogeochemical cycles in cultivated soils?

This paper investigates the impacts of bioenergy valorization of organic resources on the biogeochemical cycles of agricultural soils. Through three case studies—annual, pluriannual, and perennial energy crop selection and its effects on water use and soil carbon balance; the influence of Miscanthus x giganteus harvest timing on plant nitrogen recycling and fertilizer needs; and the introduction of anaerobic digestion at farm scale and its consequences for soil carbon and nitrogen cycles—the authors highlight the complex, often antagonistic interactions among crop management practices, biomass use pathways, and environmental processes. They emphasize the need for long-term, rotation-scale and territorial assessments to fully understand and manage these effects in agroecosystems.