Limitations of charcoal as an effective carbon sink

Some comments from Terra Preta Soil researchers, for more info or questions please visit; http://terrapreta.../?q=node

It has been immensely gratifying to see all the major players join the mail list , Cornell folks, T. Beer of Kings Ford Charcoal (Clorox), Novozyne the M-Roots guys(fungus), chemical engineers, Dr. Danny Day of EPRIDA , Dr. Antal of U. of H., Virginia Tech folks and many others .

1.

From Christoph Steiner to the terrapreta List:

" The study of Wardle et al was simple and provides valuable data. 10 year
studies are a rare opportunity but other conventional means of C
sequestration (conservation tillage etc) were studied much longer. That
charcoal increases the decomposition of labile soil organic matter (SOM)
is a logical consequence of increased microbial biomass and activity.
This is the example of humus rich Swedish forest soils. The Terra Preta
example is different (low respiration rates in absence of an easily
degradable organic substance). Chernozems are a other example. Charcoal
can led to the formation of very persistent SOM and this in environments
and soils with low carbon sequestration capacity. Nobody proposed to
apply charcoal as a C sink in humus rich soils. It can be a mean of
carbon sequestration in depleted soils (e.g. southeastern US). Due to
agriculture most soils have lost 50% of there original carbon content.
The recalcitrance of charcoal allows SOM build up beyond the carrying
capacity of a soil.
In some cases increased decomposition might be even desired. Composting
of manures and other green biomass would be increased and emissions of
CH4 and N2O reduced. Organically applied nutrients might be faster
available for plants if applied with charcoal and leaching of nitrogen
reduced.
This study proves once again the recalcitrant nature of charcoal and
shows that we have to do much more research in the field to determine
appropriate applications for charcoal as a C sink. I am confident that
there are many management options."
2.

Here is another TP researcher's view of the article.

Edward Someus to Terrapreta List

show details 11:47 PM (6 hours ago) [Charcoal LOSS.pdf]

Reply

Dear Folke,

Pls find encl the publication text PDF. Need to be studied more in-depthly and discussed later on. The department of forest ecology and management, SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) Umea Professor David Wardle, Professor Marie-Charlotte Nilsson and Professor Olle Zackrisson are high science Colleagues, and such rarely 10 long years executed study is of value and should be taken very seriously.

The 10 year study - in relation to the evaluation of forest wild fires - is executed in the Boreal forest sites in northern Sweden humus rich forest soils with high "dosis" 50/50 mixtures and 100% blank. The conditions and the scenario for wild fire boreal forest is very much different than for AGRO TP, which agricultural adaptation may also widely variate at different places and cultivation practices world wide.

The industrialized production soil-char composite products I develop is a microbiologically pre-mobilized organic/inorganic complex fertilizers with combined effects, with successful dosis 400 kg/ha up to 1000 kg/ha in granulated form with consideration 20 cm top soil. At this moment we have wide soil and climatic tests ongoing in Italy, The Netherlands, Germany, Israel, UK and Hungary.

I have distributed the publication to my Colleagues at different soil science groups at UK, NL, DE, IT Universities and for experience / knowledge exchange I will make follow up and direct discussion with the SLU Professors as well.

However, KEVIN may have right: "Reading between the lines of the article, one could guess at the general content of the Paper, but the article was presented in a shallow, sensationalist manner that would likely leave with the uninitiated reader with the impression that charcoal in soil was "a bad thing." "

KEEP IN TOUCH.

%uFEFF %uFEFF %uFEFF
Sincerely yours: Edward Someus (environmental engineer)
HOMEPAGE: http://www.terrenum.net
EMAIL 1: edward at terrenum.net
EMAIL 2: edward.someus at gmail.com

Cheers,
Erich J. Knight
540 289 9750