[Terrapreta] Assaying carbon levels in soil

[Tom Miles]

Sean,

 

If you look on the TP site under Authors->Skjemstad you'll find seven
articles by Jan Skjemstad on soil carbon which will change your first
impression.   

 

See: http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/taxonomy/term/147/9

 

 

Tom

 

 

From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Richard Haard
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 9:38 AM
To: Sean K. Barry
Cc: Terrapreta
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Assaying carbon levels in soil

 

Hi Sean 

 

This conversation got my interest because I am interested to learn what is
the background  carbon as (C) in soils. I have yet to raise this question
with my soil science lab , UMass but my soil analysis of the charcoal
enriched replications of my experiment is showing higher numbers for soil
OM. It will be nice to answer this question of where this is coming from. 

 

I have run across a number of papers where they have done analysis of
background soil carbon levels and even if it costs a few bucks this analysis
would tell you where the soils you are treating are coming from. I visited a
forest fire site in eastern Washington specifically to collect charcoal and
to observe the conditions for my own interest. What happened though was this
fire, in the very dry eastern Washington climate burned down to mineral
soil, and the only charcoal was a thin crust on standing dead trees
-essentially none. 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/811783245/in/set-72157594444994347/
{back to primary succession}

 

The same is true in prairie fires as when I was living in eastern Kansas
where they did regular burns to stimulate growth for livestock forage , what
I saw was ash and very little charcoal. 

 

If you visit the hot, dry desert areas say the Sonoran desert of Arizona you
will see the fate of dead plant material on the soil surface is different
from cooler, temperate areas. It oxidizes on the surface and there is no
zone of decomposition and enrichment of the upper soil horizons. This is
likely the situation in hot, dry areas of Australia. 

 

Rich

 

On Dec 1, 2007, at 7:36 AM, Sean K. Barry wrote:





Hi Michael,

 

Poor Mr. Skjemstad.  He must not be a soil scientists or a plant
physiologist (or a good one of either?).  Plants don't ever use carbon from
soil.  Plants only respire carbon in the form of Carbon Dioxide-CO2 from the
air.  Little does he realize that carbon in soil in the form of charcoal in
the soil is likely the best form it could be in.  Charcoal in soil aids the
fertility of the soil by helping the microorganisms to hold more nutrients.
Charcoal in soil is highly resilient.  By Mr. Skjemstad's account, charcoal
is still in the Australian soil from bushfires which occurred tens of
thousands of years ago!

 

Perhaps Mr. Skjemstad would enjoy a subscription to the 'terrapreta' list?
Maybe he could help us learn how to convert mere "charcoal in soil" into
Terra Preta soil, which is "ALIVE" and promotes the growth of plants above.

 

Regards,

 

SKB

----- Original Message -----

From: Michael <mailto:michaelangelica at gmail.com>  Bailes

To: Sean K. <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  Barry ; Terrapreta
<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 

Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 9:25 PM

Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Assaying carbon levels in soil

 

I posted this last June on the original Hypography TP thread

"
Famous last words?? 

Quote:

CSIRO MEDIA RELEASE 97/58
3 April 1997

LEGACY OF A THOUSAND BUSHFIRES

Australia's soil is even poorer than was thought, says CSIRO Land and Water
researcher Jan Skjemstad. Much of our small supply of carbon - an essential
element in fertile soil - is in the form of useless charcoal, resulting from
tens of thousands of years of bushfires.

"The charcoal is mostly carbon, but it is in a form which can't be used by
plants or soil organisms," said Mr Skjemstad. "


So they must have away of measuring soil carbon? 

How do they distinguish from char and decaying vegetable matter?

Perhaps you could Ask Adiana when she comes back.



On 01/12/2007, Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com> wrote:

Hi Rick,

 

I think you just weigh the biochar/agrichar/charcoal one would make,
estimate the carbon content at 90%.  Maybe the payer would then certify that
the charcoal was then put into soil before they pay the amount of that
weight?  Let's assume you could not get paid if you put the charcoal in the
soil first.  Paid only for the fixed carbon weight in the raw charcoal (if
it can be weighed first), and then only when its verifiably buried.

 

Regards,

 

SKB


Michael the Archangel

"You can fix all the world's problems in a garden. . . . 
Most people don't know that"
FROM
http://www.blog.thesietch.org/wp-content/permaculture.swf

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