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Dr. James Hansen, NASA's top Atmospheric authorty, is now placing it in the center stage of pro-active solutions for the climate crisis.
Given his tenacity , I expect some real traction from this endorsement of Biochar.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

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Thanks Mucho.... smile

"...for the range of climate states between glacial conditions and ice-free Antarctica."
Wow; relating conditions 50 Mya to CO2 levels is really something; but regardless of the scale of comparison....
.
.
.
The penultimate sentence from the Abstract (seems a bit awkward; maybe it started out as two sentences?):
"An initial 350 ppm CO2 target may be achievable by phasing out coal use except where
CO2 is captured
and adopting agricultural and forestry practices that sequester carbon."

It sounds ...or maybe it's just me... as if he sees coal-use sequestration as separate from the "agricultural and forestry practices that sequester carbon."

Certainly there are methods to "scrub" CO2 out of coal-use emissions, and there are better technological methods being developed; but we could, right now, just use the bio-based (agricultural and forestry practices) sequestration of CO2 to offset the coal-fired power plant emissions.

Bio-based sequestration could rapidly reduced CO2 levels, even with increasing emissions,
if done on a large enough scale. IMHO

...but not let up on the CO2 abatement technology either.
smile

Thanks again for the link!


Pyrolysis creates reduced carbon! ...Time for the next step in our evolutionary symbiosis with fire.
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From the previous page:
http://www.scienceagogo.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=26941#Post26941
Lots of good links and updates on TP !

...with these two updated links to be substituted:
http://www.ases.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=16
http://www.25x25.org/

Thanks again Erich!
===
smile

Also wanted to repeat (maybe in a more appropriate place):

Learning from the Past to Improve the Future

http://magazine-directory.com/Archaeology.htm

ARCHAEOLOGY A publication of the Archaeological Institute of America
Volume 61 Number 4, July/August 2008
Amazonian Harvest: Can prehistoric farming methods lead us to a sustainable future?
by Mara Hvistendahl

"If we were to apply [pre-Columbian] techniques, it would be much better for the world...."

"This is like finding potsherds," he says. The leaf belongs to the cacao tree, which grows throughout this part of the country, the Beni, in circular patches called forest islands--telltale signs, he believes, of early settlement.
Erickson has worked in Bolivia and Peru for three decades, and he hopes his research will bring the lessons of the past to bear on the present, perhaps guiding sustainable agriculture here and across the globe. He is part of a growing group of archaeologists who are engaging and helping shape the communities in which they work, but a few decades ago, other scholars would have thought him crazy.

"He sees forest islands supplemented with raised fields of corn, tobacco, beans, and pumpkin--an agricultural cornucopia that will enrich the earth for future generations."
===

...like a Garden of Eden?
This article also mentions Bio-char and Amazonian Dark Earths, Terra Pretta.

The evidence in this article confirms scenarios presented in the book, 1491 IMHO.

...and while Hansen mentions the large carbon sequestration potential of forest and agricultural lands,
Bio-char can turn marginal, unproductive, even acid and/or aluminum laden soils, into dark rich productive farmlands.

In addition to converting marginal soils into large carbon sinks, Bio-char can double or triple the CO2 sequestration (along with the productivity) of many agricultural soils and some forest soils, while reducing nitrogen and methane emissions from those soils.

...as long as Water Management, the ultimate challenge, is included.
wink


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Carbon isotopes also record drought, Springer added, because drier soils slow biological activity. This causes the soil to “breathe less, changing the mix of light and heavy carbon atoms in it,” he said.

http://news.research.ohiou.edu/news/index.php?item=503

Despite the other implications from this article,

...here is a key to understanding how to measure CO2 sequestration in soil.

~ more later, I hope.


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Interesting ...

Science010101
listening to "separate isotopes" by Whitechapelonian

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Total CO2 Equivalence:
Even before the total CO2 equivalent credits are validated they should be on the product label. Once a commercial bagged soil amendment product, every suburban household can do it,
The label can tell them of their contribution, a 40# bag = 150# CO2 = 160 bags / year to cover my personal CO2 emissions.( 20,000 #/yr , 1/2 average)
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

Full carbon credit validation should easily follow the path that has garnered carbon credits for no-till practices.

But that is just the Carbon!
I have yet to find a total CO2 equivalent number taking consideration against some average field N2O & CH4 emissions. The New Zealand work shows 10X reductions.
If biochar also proves to be effective at reducing nutrient run-off from agricultural soils, then there will also be a reduction in downstream N2O emissions .


This ACS study implicates soil structure / N2O connection;
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Paper41955.html


Biochar at ACS;

Most all this work corroborates char dynamics we have seen so far . The soil GHG emissions work showing increased CO2 , also speculates that this CO2 has to get through the hungry plants above before becoming a GHG.
The SOM, MYC& Microbes, N2O (soil structure), CH4 , nutrient holding , Nitrogen shock, humic compound conditioning, absorbing of herbicides all pretty much what we expected to hear.

Biochar Studies at ACS Huston meeting;

578-I: http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4231.html

579-II http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4496.html

665 - III. http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4497.html

666-IV http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4498.html


Biochar Grants:

http://www.biochar-international.org/policyintheus.html

CSREES Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/reporting/stakeholder/an_stakeholder_afri.html


Sustainable Agriculture;

The goals of sustainable agriculture are to provide a more profitable farm income, to promote environmental stewardship, and to enhance the quality of life for farm families and their communities. CSREES promotes sustainable agriculture through national program leadership and funding for research and extension. It offers competitive grants programs and a professional development program, and it collaborates with other federal agencies through the USDA Sustainable Development Council.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/sustainableagriculture.cfm

Natural Resources & Environment (NRE), ( this seems the best fit for Biochar)
NRE programs strengthen the nation's capacity to address critical environmental priorities and contribute to improved air, soil, and water quality; fish and wildlife management; enhanced aquatic and other ecosystems; the sustainable use and management of forests, rangelands, watersheds, and other renewable natural resources; and a better understanding of global climate change, including its impact on the diversity of plant and animal life. NRE programs also demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of sustainable development, and contribute to the economic viability of agriculture and rural communities realizing the impact of environmental policies and regulations.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/nre/nre_all.html


Erich J. Knight
Shenandoah Gardens
1047 Dave Berry Rd.
McGaheysville, VA. 22840
540 289 9750

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First Bagged Biochar product;

The Carbon Char Group's new web site

Check out the Carbon negitive bird seed video

This group has the broadest experience working with chars in the soil.
They have drawn talented people long associated with the biochar companies ( long that is in biochar years, 6 years)

Jon Nilsson ; worked with Eprida at one time, is the main man in CCG.

"Charcoal bob" Hawkins ; works with Danny Day, he's on some of the CCG's research papers
Also Dr. Kriss Nichols; ARS glomalin researcher, doing carbon sequestration validation studies with Jon.
Rebecca Ogelsby; works with Eprida

An idea whose time has come | Carbon Char Group
http://www.carbonchar.com/
Erich

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Thanks Erich,
Now that a greener agenda might move forward in the US, maybe we'll see some progress on this front that immediatly addresses CO2 currently in the atmosphere, in addition to the high-tech solutions that focus on future emissions.

I caught Al Gore on CSPAN a few weeks ago. Here is a bit of what he said:
Originally Posted By: Al Gore testifying before the Senate Foreign Relation Committee (1/28/09)

...from: Questions following the prepared statement--
[see Al's response below Sen. Lugar's question]

Senator Dick Lugar, R-Ind., Ranking Member:
[after speaking about the virtues of GMO's--in a climatically challenged world, Senator Lugar spoke about the pricing of carbon, and trading carbon as a commodity]

On the farm situation, likewise, the need for building support in the public is obvious. The Pew Foundation's recent report, that is often cited, listed Global Warming, or Climate Change, as number twenty out of 20 issues that were important to the public now. There may be other months in which the poll does better--not in an economic crisis.
But I'm impressed with the fact that the Chicago Climate Exchange--maybe as a prelude to some type of cap-and-trade, or carbon pricing system, in our country--has at least established a price for carbon.
I've become--our farm has become a member of this (or an?) exchange; we are a potential seller of carbon. It is sequestered in our hardwood trees, which has been measured as we planted them.
....
This is a very small beginning , but it's an important one....

I mention all of this because we'll have debates about it again; and we get back to the fact--that does anybody really understand how to price, how the exchange occurs, who the suppliers are, are they valid suppliers?
The carbon in my hardwood trees-- really--carbon is sequestered? Well, I think that it is.

We think about no-till planting likewise, in this respect. The National Farmers Union came together for a press conference, in which I participated last year, and they were interested in the sequestering of carbon in the soil and how not to disturb it. How can we go about doing this?
To the extent that this becomes an income source for farmers, in addition to a scientific experiment, then that whole difference in American public opinion--at least with one large community--[unintelligible] (occurs with practical weight) [or] (occurs in a practical way) . I cite this because you've worked with public opinion for years. These situations are not easy sells, but to the extent that there are practical measures--with even portions of our population--there may be the kind of support... [needed]. Which leads to my sort of overall question:
Kyoto did not do well on the Senate floor, when it came. If we have a treaty this year--and I hope we will--this one needs to do better. How will we come about in a bipartisan stance--comprehensive, with the support of the country--to get either 60 or 67 votes, or whatever is required at that point?

Can you give any thought to that, just as a practical politician; as well as one who made a presentation today which is exemplary.

Al Gore:
Well thank you Senator Lugar. I am a recovering politician. I'm on about step nine.
I'd like to--first of all--address your comments, if I may, on soil carbon; because I think it's an important question that should be addressed.
As a rule of thumb, the amount of carbon now sequestered in trees and forests around the world is roughly equal to twice the amount that is in the atmosphere. The amount of carbon sequestered in soils around the world is up to four times as much as the amount in trees.
I grew up--during the summers--on a farm in Tennessee, and learned from my Dad how to recognize the dark black, rich soil in the bottomland.... Not until recently did somebody clue me in that what makes that rich soil black is the carbon.
There's eight times as much carbon in the soils as in the atmosphere, though the flux in and out is much lower than from trees. However, that flux out can increase dramatically from the thawing of the frozen soils, and the flux in the other direction--more rapid sequestration of carbon in the soils--can also be increased; not necessarily with no-till--although I see that as an improvement--but with new techniques that help farmers increase yields and rapidly sequester carbon in soil. They do not yet have the mechanisms to adequately monitor and measure soil carbon sequestration, though they are close to developing them.
The two areas of the world that have most wanted soil carbon included in the treaty are US farmers and the continent of Africa--quite a coalition. If the monitoring can be established, then I think it's a very useful measure to begin that addition to the process in Copenhagen--so that it can be included.

Now, on the prospect for the Treaty--as compared to Kyoto--the general expectation and acceptance in the developing world that they will have binding commitments in the first phase, makes this a very different kind of outlook than was the case with Kyoto.

The very fact that developing countries like Brazil and Indonesia--China, which is in its own category--have now begun to take initiatives; I think that makes it a very different situation. And of course the strength of the scientific consensus worldwide is now far beyond what it was ten years ago--the scientists are practically screaming from the rooftops. This is--properly understood-- a planetary emergency. It is out of the boundaries of scale that we are used to dealing with. And one of my personal challenges for the last thirty years has been to understand how to talk about it in a way that breaks through that denial and resistance. Though some progress has been made, more work needs to be done. I think that President Obama's leadership, which has already been manifested in his statement just two days ago, can itself be an important new element in firming support for what needs to be done.

Senator Dodd (as acting chairman):
Thank you very much.

Senator Dodd continues:
First of all let me join, Mr. Vice President, and thank you for your thirty years of effort in this regard. You were a lonely voice, as I recall, in the House of Representatives, some thirty years ago talking about this. Occasionally history provides leadership like that--not often enough in my view. But I thank you for that.

Al Gore:
Thank you.


I especially noted that a Republican was saying:
Quote:
But I'm impressed with the fact that the Chicago Climate Exchange--maybe as a prelude to some type of cap-and-trade, or carbon pricing system, in our country--has at least established a price for carbon.
I've become--our farm has become a member of this (or an?) exchange; we are a potential seller of carbon. It is sequestered in our hardwood trees, which has been measured as we planted them.
....
This is a very small beginning , but it's an important one....


But especially Al's comment about "new techniques" caught my attention!
Quote:
...and the flux in the other direction--more rapid sequestration of carbon in the soils--can also be increased; not necessarily with no-till--although I see that as an improvement--but with new techniques that help farmers increase yields and rapidly sequester carbon in soil.

He must be talking about bio-char--don't you think?

~ wink


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Originally Posted By: samwik
Thanks Erich,
Now that a greener agenda might move forward in the US, maybe we'll see some progress on this front that immediatly addresses CO2 currently in the atmosphere, in addition to the high-tech solutions that focus on future emissions.
I caught Al Gore on CSPAN a few weeks ago. Here is a bit of what he said:
....
especially Al's comment about "new techniques" caught my attention!
...and the flux in the other direction--more rapid sequestration of carbon in the soils--can also be increased; not necessarily with no-till--although I see that as an improvement--but with new techniques that help farmers increase yields and rapidly sequester carbon in soil.
He must be talking about bio-char--don't you think?


The U.S. BIOCHAR website just started up this month. The new website is partly a result of networking and efforts stemming from that First North American Biochar Conference at CU in Colorado, back in August [and of course a few dedicated, hard-working people who deserve our thanks].

North American Biochar Conference 2009
http://cees.colorado.edu/northamericanbiochar.html

US Biochar Initiative Homepage
http://www.biochar-us.org/

Thanks!
~ smile


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Hi SCI a GoGo,
I hope you will like these updates on Biochar Soil developments

The Biochar Fund deserves your attention and support.
Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon
The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all ( that , and the size of the Biochar corn root balls )
http://biocharfund.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=75

Mark my words;
Given the potential for Laurens Rademaker's programs to grow exponentially, only a short time lies between This man's nomination for a Noble Prize.
He recently received the Manchester prize.

Cheers,
Erich


Biochar Soils.....Husbandry of whole new orders & Kingdoms of life

Biotic Carbon, the carbon transformed by life, should never be combusted, oxidized and destroyed. It deserves more respect, reverence even, and understanding to use it back to the soil where 2/3 of excess atmospheric carbon originally came from.

We all know we are carbon-centered life, we seldom think about the complex web of recycled bio-carbon which is the true center of life. A cradle to cradle, mutually co-evolved biosphere reaching into every crack and crevice on Earth.

It's hard for most to revere microbes and fungus, but from our toes to our gums (onward), their balanced ecology is our health. The greater earth and soils are just as dependent, at much longer time scales. Our farming for over 10,000 years has been responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to carbon dioxide, Methane & Nitrous oxide began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel. Agriculture allowed our cultural accent and Agriculture will now prevent our descent.

Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,

Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth, TP), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages… SIMULTANEOUSLY!
Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration, 80%-90% Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 2X Fertility Too.
Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration (= to 1 Ton CO2e) + Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels = to 1MWh exported electricity, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw;
"Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes;
"Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !".
Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar.
Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come.
Microbes like to sit down when they eat.
By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders & Kingdoms of life.

This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of penitence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it.
Unlike CCS which only reduces emissions, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.


Legislation:
Senator Baucus is co-sponsoring a bill along with Senator Tester (D-MT) called WE CHAR. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration Act! It focuses on promoting biochar technology to address invasive species and forest biomass. It includes grants and loans for biochar market research and development, biochar characterization and environmental analyses. It directs USDI and USDA to provide loan guarantees for biochar technologies and on-the-ground production with an emphasis on biomass from public lands. And the USGS is to do biomas availability assessments.
WashingtonWatch.com - S. 1713, The Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration (WECHAR) Act of 2009

Individual and groups can show support for WECHAR by signing online at:
http://www.biocharmatters.org/

The Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009
The bill is designed to ensure that any US domestic cap-and-trade bill provides maximum incentives and opportunities for the US agricultural and forestry sectors to provide high-quality offsets and GHG emissions reductions for credit or financial incentives. Carbon offsets play a critical role in keeping the costs of a cap-and-trade program low for society as well as for capped sectors and entities, while providing valuable emissions reductions and income generation opportunities for the agricultural sector. The bill specifically identifies biochar production and use as eligible for offset credits, and identifies biochar as a high priority for USDA R&D, with funding authorized by the bill.
To read the full text of the bill, go to:
http://www.biochar-international.org/sites/default/files/END09F94.pdf.

Major Endorsements:

Senator / Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has done the most to nurse this biofuels system in his Biochar provisions in the 07 & 08 farm bill,
http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html

NASA's Dr. James Hansen Global warming solutions paper places Biochar / Land management the central technology for carbon negative energy systems.
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

Dr. James Lovelock (Gaia hypothesis) says Biochar is "The only hope for mankind"

Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text

Al Gore got the CO2 absorption thing wrong, ( at NABC Vilsack did same), but his focus on Soil Carbon is right on;
http://www.newsweek.com/id/220552/page/3

Tony Blair & Richard Branson in the UK and conservative party opposition leader John Turnbull in Oz.


Another significant aspect of bichar and aerosols are the low cost ($3) Biomass cook stoves that produce char but no respiratory disease. http://terrapretapot.org/ and village level systems http://biocharfund.org/ with the Congo Basin Forest
Fund (CBFF). The Biochar Fund recently won $300K for these systems citing these priorities;
(1) Hunger amongst the world's poorest people, the subsistence farmers of Sub-Saharan Africa,
(2) Deforestation resulting from a reliance on slash-and-burn farming,
(3) Energy poverty and a lack of access to clean, renewable energy, and
(4) Climate change.
The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all ( that , and the root ball size of the Biochar corn )
http://biocharfund.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=75



Building Soil Carbon is the bond that unities all political persuasions,

Soil Carbon Sequestration Standards Committee. Hosted by Monsanto, this group of diverse interests has been hammering out issues of definition, validation and protocol. These past months, this group have been pressing soil sequestration's roll for climate legislation to congress.
http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

Along these lines internationally, the work of the IBI fostering the application by 20 countries for UN recognition of soil carbon as a sink with biochar as a clean development mechanism will open the door for programs across the globe.
http://www.biochar-international.org/biocharpolicy.html.



Research:

The Ozzie's for 5 years now in field studies
The future of biochar - Project Rainbow Bee Eater
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/features/20090211-20142.html

The Japanese have been at it dacades:
Japan Biochar Association ;
http://www.geocities.jp/yasizato/pioneer.htm

UK Biochar Research Centre
http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/sccs/biochar/


Virginia Tech is in their 4 th year with the Carbon Char Group's "CharGrow" formulated bagged product. An idea whose time has come | Carbon Char Group
He said the 2008 trials at Virginia Tech showed a 46% increase in yield of tomato transplants grown with just 2 - 5 cups (2 - 5%) "CharGrow" per cubic foot of growing medium. http://www.carbonchar.com/plant-performance

Dr. Rory Maguire,
In first year with Poultry litter char

USDA in their 2 nd year;
There are dozens soil researchers on the subject now at USDA-ARS.
and many studies at The up coming ASA-CSSA-SSSA joint meeting;
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2009am/webprogram/Session5675.html

Nikolaus has been at it 4 years. "Nikolaus Foidl" <nikolaus33@yahoo.com>,
His current work with aspirin is Amazing in Maize, 250% yield gains, 15 cobs per plant;
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/con...id-and-charcoal

My 09 field trials with the Rodale Institute & JMU ( bottom of page)
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node?page=1

Most recent studies out;
Imperial College test,
This work in temperate soils gives data from which one can calculate savings on fertilizer use, which is expected to be ongoing with no additional soil amending.

http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1755-1315/...01-2be7e2f3ce1b


The BlueLeaf Inc./ Dynamotive study are exciting results given how far north the site is,and the low application rates. I suspect, as we saw with the Imperial College test, the yield benefits seem to decrease the cooler the climate.
The study showed infiltration rates for moisture are almost double. The lower leaf temperatures puzzles me however, I thought around 21C was optimum for photosynthesis.

BlueLeaf Inc. and Dynamotive Announce Biochar Test Results CQuest(TM) Biochar Enriched Plots Yield Crop Increase Ranging From Six to Seventeen Percent vs. Control Plots
http://www.usetdas.com/TDAS/NewsArticle.aspx?NewsID=13603

The full study at Dynomotives site;
http://www.dynamotive.com/wp-content/themes/dynamotive/pdf/BlueLeaf_Biochar_Field_Trial_2008.pdf




Reports:

This PNAS report (by a Nobel lariat) should cause the Royal Society to rethink their report that criticized Biochar systems sequestration potential;
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Reducing abrupt climate change risk using
the Montreal Protocol and other regulatory
actions to complement cuts in CO2 emissions
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/10/09/0902568106.full.pdf+html

United Nations Environment Programme, Climate Change Science Compendium 2009 http://www.unep.org/compendium2009/PDF/Ch5_compendium2009.pdf

Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40186_20090203.pdf .

This is the single most comprehensive report to date, covering more of the Asian and Australian work;
http://www.csiro.au/files/files/poei.pdf

Dr. Scherr's report includes biochar. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6124

I think we will be seeing much greater media attention for land management & biochar as reports like her's come out linking the roll of agriculture and climate.




Biochar data base;

TP-REPP
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node

Disscusion Groups;
The group home page location, General orientation:
Biochar (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar/
Biochar POLICY;
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-policy
Biochar Soils;
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-soils/
Biochar Production;
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-production/

Earth Science Terra Preta Forum, Great for students;
Terra Preta - Science Forums



Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all?

This is a Nano technology for the soil, a fractal vision of Life's relation to surface area that represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability.

Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.
Cheers,
Erich


Erich J. Knight
Eco Technologies Group Technical Adviser
Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)
1047 Dave Barry Rd.
McGaheysville, VA. 22840
540 289 9750
Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP






The first North American Biochar Conference, at CU in Boulder ,
Keynote speakers were Secretary Tom Vilsack & Dr. Susan Solomon (NOAA's head atmospheric scientist)
http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=684390

My attendance is thanks to the folks at EcoTechnologies Group .
http://www.ecotechnologies.com/index.html , they have also fully funded my field trials with the Rodale Institute & JMU)

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Terra Preta, or Biochar-enriched soils, are getting a good look!

Here's a free link about the "carbon accounting" of biochar--how much fuel, heat, carbon offset, and sequestration that biochar can provide by using waste biomass. Published 10 August 2010.

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v1/n5/full/ncomms1053.html
Originally Posted By: Nature
Production of biochar (the carbon (C)-rich solid formed by pyrolysis of biomass) and its storage in soils have been suggested as a means of abating climate change by sequestering carbon, while simultaneously providing energy and increasing crop yields. Substantial uncertainties exist, however, regarding the impact, capacity and sustainability of biochar at the global level. In this paper we estimate the maximum sustainable technical potential of biochar to mitigate climate change. Annual net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide could be reduced....


...and they're not even talking yet about restoring deserts, deforested areas, or fly ash--also turning these into productive land once again.


Pyrolysis creates reduced carbon! ...Time for the next step in our evolutionary symbiosis with fire.
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The Recent NATURE STUDY;
Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v1/n5/full/ncomms1053.html

Not talked about in this otherwise comprehensive study are the climate and whole ecological implications of new , higher value, applications of chars.

First,
the in situ remediation of a vast variety of toxic agents in soils and sediments.
Biochar Sorption of Contaminants;
http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/b...nvironment.html

Dr. Lima's work; Specialized Characterization Methods for Biochar http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/b...terization.html
And at USDA;
The Ultimate Trash To Treasure: *ARS Research Turns Poultry Waste into Toxin-grabbing Char
http://www.ars.usda.gov/IS/AR/archive/jul05/char0705.htm

Second,
the uses as a feed ration for livestock to reduce GHG emissions and increase disease resistance.

Third,
Recent work by C. Steiner showing a 52% reduction of NH3 loss when char is used as a composting accelerator. This will have profound value added consequences for the commercial composting industry by reduction of their GHG emissions and the sale of compost as a nitrogen fertilizer.

NASA’s Space Archaeology; $364K Terra Preta Program
http://archaeologyexcavations.blogspot.com/2010/08/time-traveling-via-satellite.html

Reports:

For those looking for an overview of biochar and its benefits, These authors have done a very nice job of distilling a great deal of information about biochar and applying it to the US context:
US Focused Biochar report: Assessment of Biochar's Benefits for the USA
http://www.biochar-us.org/pdf%20files/biochar_report_lowres.pdf


Hillary has heard the word;


100 million clean-burning stoves in kitchens around the world.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/09/147494.htm

Amid diplomatic speed-dating, Clinton pitches 'clean stoves'
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkpoint-washington/2010/09/amid_diplomatic_speed-dating_c.html

Four serious efforts at producing biochar by cookstoves are the efforts by Nat Mulcahy's WorldStove; http://worldstove.com/
Paul Anderson's Champion TLUD (and offshoots from that design); http://www.bioenergylists.org/andersontludconstruction
Rob Flanagan's design efforts mainly in China, the Flana Stove; http://bionecho.org/tptut/en/production.php
and Dr. Reddy's GoodStove; http://www.goodstove.com/
All of those gasifier stove projects are driven as much or more by clean emissions and saving forests as they are by biochar production. The ONE major saving grace is that the gasifier stoves do have much cleaner combustion (lowest emissions) than do any of the "stick-wood" stoves and are the lowest in cost.

A significant aspect of low cost, Biomass cook stoves that produce Biochar is removal of BC aerosols and no respiratory disease emissions. At Scale, replacing "Three Stone" stoves the health benefits would equal eradication of Malaria & Aids combined.

The Biochar Fund has doubled subsistence farmer's incomes;
Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon
The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all ( that , and the size of the Biochar corn root balls )
http://biocharfund.org/

WorldStoves in Haiti; http://www.charcoalproject.org/2010/05/a-man-a-stove-a-mission/

NSF Awards $1.6 million in grants;
BREAD: Biochar Inoculants for Enabling Smallholder Agriculture
http://iapnews.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/cornell-university-wins-biocharstove-research-grants/

Since we have filled the air , filling the seas to full, Soil is the Only Beneficial place left.
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.


Erich J. Knight
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Originally Posted By: erich knight
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.


Thanks Erich, for those many great links. Nice to see progress in these many different areas of research on biochar.
As you say....

Soil is the best place for all that carbon. This should not be surprising since agriculture and land use have globally depleted about half of the carbon historically stored in soils (~David Laird, USDA). Enriching soils with carbon should not be seen as a "new technique," but rather as a restorative technique and a moral imperative. I've been reading about soils and humus recently and this becomes more and more obvious.

Humus, in many ways, is like liquid biochar; ...or biochar is like solidified humus.
Biochars, like humic substances, "are effective acid-base buffers, they bind metals, molecules, ions and other biopolymers, they are redox-active, and they stick firmly to clays and minerals."

That sounds like biochar, but is quoted from the preface to "Humic Substances: Structures, Properties and Uses" (1998) ISBN: 0-85404-704-2

The book begins with a quote from Fritz Frimmel:
"Humic Substances may not be beautiful, but they do beautiful things."

As with biochars, eh?
===

The preface to the book begins with these profound sentences:
"Humic substances are nature's least understood materials. These brown or black biopolymers exist in animals, plants, sediments, soils and water. Humic substances contain (over 2-3 times) more carbon than all living things. They seem to be purpose built for many life-sustaining functions." ~my emphases & parenthetic~

It almost sounds like an argument for "Intelligent Design," but of course it's just a result of evolutionary adaptation to the soils that developed from increasingly complex decaying organic matter. For over 400 million years, since the first underdeveloped soils of the Silurian and Devonian formed and oxygen levels rose, humus has been a baseline upon which evolution played out.

AND...
The byproducts of fire--black carbon and charred biomass--were also ubiquitous ingredients in soils during that same period of evolution, so it is not surprising that plants and soil microbes have naturally adapted to take advantage of biochars, as they also adapted to humus.

...and soils are so much more complex now that the "recently" evolved grasses and mammals have contributed so much to humus... not to mention the most recent anthropogenic humus (from drugs, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, industrial chemicals, metals, and petrochemicals).
===

...a bit of organic geochemistry shows how humus (& biochar) are like stored energy in the soil.
Decaying biomass is modified by degradation, fractionation, and repolymerization through biochemico-geological processes (microbial & photo/chemico oxidation, time, heat, and pressure) to form first humus and then increasingly, kerogen, lignites and sub-bituminous ores, and finally bituminates and anthracites (coals), and oils and even methane.

In a similar way, pyrolysis modifies and fractionates waste biomass to form syn-gas, bio-oils, and biochar, which are chemically similar to humus and anthracite. After all, almost 50% of the purest anthracitic coals are composed of humic substances. Inertinite, another form of coal, is basically just fossilized biochar. It's all just a spectrum of carbon purity... of oxidation/reduction, and bonding ratios... or words to some effect like that. ...Sort of like humus and biochar are two sides of the same coin, or part of a 3-way chemical equilibrium between black carbon/graphite, humus, and biochar/graphene.

As biochar breaks down over the centuries, it becomes classified finally as "black carbon" and also contributes to the humic fraction of soils. In a similar way, as humus slowly accumulates, changes, and degrades, it also contributes to the important black-carbon fraction of soils, as well as building carbon-rich ores. Like biochar, humus adds porosity and structure to the soil. Humus is chemically similar to the chemically active sites created in biochar during pyrolysis. It is these active sites in biochar that adsorb humus within the soil, or that can become humus as the biochar is broken apart in the soil.

One of biochar's beneficial traits is how it adsorbs, retains, and protects humic substances in the soil, extending the effectiveness and duration of beneficial humic effects on the soil's structure and fertility. Humus can degrade or be oxidized in just a season or a few years, but biochar lasts for generations and centuries, building the carbon richness of soils by enhancing the biochemistry of soils... to support increasing microbial, nutrient-cycling biodiversity and biomass within our planet's soils.
~end lecture:

===

...but also....
The last paper in that book is entitled:

"Greenhouse Gas Dilemma and Humic Acid Solution."

This section describes how coal can be treated to extract the carbon-rich humic substances, while the hydrogen and oxygen-rich fuel from the coal is burned for energy... with minimized CO2 emissions. The humic substances are then used agriculturally to enrich soils, which keeps much of the carbon from the coal biosequestered.

From the book, Humic Substances, p.238-239:

"Widespread application of humic acid products is therefore needed to mitigate CO2 emissions and at the same time create high value from our vast coal resources...."

"As a water retainer, metal binder and sorbent, humic acid is essential to maintain fertile soils. Humic acids' water retention property gives the Earth a thermal buffer capacity that prevents catastrophic climates. The versatile characteristic properties of humic acids include a high cation exchange capacity, the ability to chelate metals, the ability to adsorb organics, a high water holding capacity, ...and an ease of combustion due to its organic nature. The agricultural applications include a slow release source of the micronutrients for plant and microbial growth, ...and a buffering capacity that results in plant growth stimulation."

"....In turn, large scale applications of humic acids will enable us to sequester carbon within our planet and avert the consequences of a greenhouse effect on our global ecology instead of carbon being emitted as CO2 into the atmosphere.
....The primary benefits demonstrated in these applications are that yields of crops and plants increase by 20-100%, which results in the net value gain...."


Wow!
It sounds as if they are talking about biochar, but it's nice to confirm the concept of a Greenhouse Gas "bio-solution" (and fertility/resource bio-solution) from this different "humus" perspective on soil and the carbon cycle.

Biochar is known to greatly reduce nutrient loss through leaching, so I'm sure the biochar in TP soils helps to retain and stabilize humic substances in those highly leached soils. The retained humus would greatly help biochar promote microbial and nutrient-cycling biodiversity in the soil.

I wonder if anyone has pre-treated biochar with humates.... Probably certain soils would benefit more from a higher humus/biochar ratio, while other soils would be improved with a higher biochar/humus ratio. Between the two, there is a lot of potential for soil-based biosequestration... and the associated industries and jobs!

smile


Pyrolysis creates reduced carbon! ...Time for the next step in our evolutionary symbiosis with fire.
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Welcome friends

I hope this it will help you
I found the best book about biochar with a special holiday price http://biochar-books.com/TBRsale
http://biochar-books.com/
It is a truly biochar Bible.
I believe this is the most beautiful holiday gift for your loved ones.
A real deal at a great price

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Thanks for the info.........................

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On Humic substances
We need more hard numbers on soil MYC/microbial counts, but by proxy of the 80-90% N2O emission reductions and nutrient efficiency and now Christoph's NH3 char compost, show the dynamic affects in a wide band of soil metabolic rates.
The full CO2 equivalence, accounting for the deeper recalcitrant fraction of SOC, (particularly glomalins), soil GHG emmisions, N & P Nutrient Credits will account biochar's ultimate value.

Real work to do;
Counting the wee-Beasties costs a pretty penny. The most pennies spent so far as I've seen, in his second year now, is Barry at BlueLeaf; www.blue-leaf.ca
His analysis includes soil chemical analysis, plant analysis (including above and below-ground biomass, grain, growth stage, near-infrared and nutrient value), soil foodweb, soil CO2 emissions, nutrient leaching and runoff, etc. This was the first of a three season trial done in conjunction with McGill University and Julie Major.

Epigenetic Effects and Chemical Signaling;

Nikolaus Foidl has been at it 5 years,
His work with aspirin is Amazing in Maize, 250% yield gains, 15 cobs per plant;
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/con...id-and-charcoal

Nikolaus loved this recent nematode research, he has a list of about 300 substances with suspected epigentic changes in gene expressions derived from chars at different temperatures and from different raw materials, and is trying to convince Universities to do a substance
epigentic gene expression screening to get a better idea of the interaction between char derived substances and soil-microbiota-plant- and in the end humans. Little by little the literature is showing the first results.

Here's some very interesting German research on Humic substances & modulation of anticancer genes.

Some new terminology to me; "anthropogenic xenobiotics", “cep-1 the guardian of the genome”,

SELECTED NATURAL HUMIC MATERIALS INDUCE AND CHAR SUBSTRATES REPRESS A GENE IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS HOMOLOG TO HUMAN ANTICANCER P53
http://iris.lib.neu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=aes

Your aphids have per­son­al­ity problems?....... epige­net­ic fac­tors may play a part. Maybe char, as in the work on Humic substances & modulation of anticancer genes in Nematodes, could be an interesting variable to play with aphids ?

Tiny bugs have own personalities despite being clones, scientists say

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/110303_aphid


[size:17pt][/size]


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Best Biochar Books;

1) Best, most engaging book, a total page turner! and I'm not just saying this because of my help in content and editing, ($10 on ebay);

"The Biochar Solution" : http://www.newsociety.com/bookid/4078

2) Encyclopedic companion book, hands-on testimonials from across the industry and I'm not just saying this because of my help in content and editing;

"The Biochar Revolution" ; http://biochar-books.com/TBRDetails

3) two years old, not nearly as expansive, "The Biochar Debate" and I'm not just saying this because I didn't help in content or editing.


IBI Biochar Standards efforts;
Developing a Characterization Standard for Biochar
http://www.biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard


I will be running a demonstration project this year for www.BiocharMerchants.com .
One half of my annual plantings of ornamental flowers will be planted with biochar/compost, the balance compost only. The expected resulting photos of my more symmetrical gardens should make for good advertising.

Please come see my latest rhetoric and BioChar Propaganda at;
The Black Knight of Biochar Blog;
http://soilbiochar.com/blog/


Erich


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reading about terra preta but my most recent info is that this particular for of agriculture took about 300 years for the depth of the deposits to develop. And the definitive answer over how it was formed was by burning the dry plant material and smothering it with green growth, creating the smoldering fire required for charcoal. I remember reading that the blue ridge of the Shenandoah valley was 'blue' due to the charcoalers working their kilns back in the 1700 & 1800s. There are still several old kilns available for tourists in parks. So, yes the preta was man-made, and over a long time.
Consider: this technology depends on local and man power.
Regardless of the current hype for using wood chips, turkey feathers, etc, it all comes down to local. That is why in spite of the much ballyhooed companies that are going to do this recycling they never come to pass. Collecting wood chips in trucks would more than overcome any savings in recycling, hence the extremely local requirements.

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