[Terrapreta] "Living" Biochar

[lou gold]

Hi,

I'm jumping in here because it looks like a semantic problem to me. No, the
ingredient called "biochar" is not a living system and it does not reproduce
itself. Yes, Brazilian terra preta soils or Amazonian Dark Earths appear to
be living communities -- networks of organic and inorganic ingredients --
that are capable of reproduction or at least continued growth.

lou

On 8/31/07, Kevin Chisholm <kchisholm at ca.inter.net> wrote:
>
> Dear Sean
>
> A characteristic of a "living system" is that it can reproduce itself.
>
> I cannot see how biochar can reproduce itself, and I thus feel that
> biochar is not a living system, any more than a house is a living system
> because it is a nice place for people to live.
>
> Perhaps I am missing something. Why do you feel biochar is living, or
> alive?
>
> Kevin
>
> Sean K. Barry wrote:
> > Hi Kevin,
> >
> > Have you ever heard of a buffering agent?  Buffering agents are part of
> > lots of living biological systems.  The bicarbonate ion (HC03-) is a
> > buffering agent.  It can absorb or release hydrogen-H, thus being able
> > to change the pH of solutions containing it.  This is a very common
> > chemical reaction inside living systems, both plant and animal.  It
> > comes from and still exists in very primitive animals and plants, even
> > single cells.  There are other catalytic reactions that carbon molecule
> > are related to, also.  All that a bicarbonate ion is is some carbon,
> > some water, and oxygen.  Carbon and water alone are sometimes even
> > equated with life.  Because most all living things we know about on
> > Earth, pretty much need both.
> >
> > I think carbon in soil is a "living" part of a bigger living
> > "biosphere".  It can just have a very long residence time in the soil,
> > whereas the other carbon in living systems is going to move around
> > within the biosphere.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > SKB
> >
> >     ----- Original Message -----
> >     *From:* Kevin Chisholm <mailto:kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
> >     *To:* Sean K. Barry <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>
> >     *Sent:* Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:28 PM
> >     *Subject:* Re: [Terrapreta] Sustained Biochar
> >
> >     Dear Sean
> >
> >     Sean K. Barry wrote:
> >      > Hi Kevin,
> >      >
> >      > What makes you think the carbon that would be in charcoal that
> >     was put
> >      > in the soil would be "removed" from the active biosphere?
> >
> >     The "Biosphere" is generally defined as "... those parts of the air,
> >     water and land where biological activity takes place..."
> >
> >     Charcoal acting as TP is within this "Biosphere envelope". However,
> the
> >     carbon in the charcoal per se is not taking an active part in the
> >     biological and physical processes, like nutrients, but rather as a
> >     catalyst, or a physical location for a biological happening.
> >      >
> >     Best wishes,
> >
> >     Kevin
>
>
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