[Terrapreta] "Living" Biochar

[Sean K. Barry]

Kevin,

"Ugly bags of mostly water."  ... You're right, biochar is not alive, per se.  But, once put into the soil, it is very intimately involved in the lives of truly living thing in the soil.  It is an active part (at least a chemically active participant, or a catalyst) in that soil part of the biosphere.  I'm just including biochar in the biosphere, whereas you claim it is removed.  Do you think the topsoil is part of 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> 
  Cc: terrapreta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 7:58 AM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] "Living" Biochar


  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<mailto:kchisholm at ca.inter.net>>
  >     *To:* Sean K. Barry <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com<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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