[Terrapreta] volatile matter and char

[Richard Haard]

On Dec 23, 2007, at 2:30 PM, Greg and April wrote:

> No more so than assuming that any and/or all VM is toxic to any/or  
> all soil microorganism, without testing the theory.
>
>
> As it is, even a single failed testing does not disprove a theory  
> either, it just means that that the circumstances of that single  
> testing is disproven, until it ( the failure ) is repeated time and  
> again under multiple different conditions.

Greg- with a test of charcoal in soil in the temperate north , a test  
may take many years to prove concept. Edward confirms my suspicion of  
this as well as my interesting CEC data from our field tests 4 years  
ago when compared to this season's work.

If CEC is a functional test then also is ability of charcoal to accept  
microbes as habitat by accepting water. Then also related to these  
features may be the VM in a negative way.

I believe we do not need to know what is the chemistry of VM  but to  
look for methods to make fresh charcoal to accept hydration. If you  
spill diesel in soil in moderate amounts there will be microbes that  
will degrade this material over time. As Ogawa recommended to pretreat  
charcoal with compost/or fertilizer is very similar to what my  
neighbor Larry has been doing with his Weber and meat juices with urine.


>
> The theory of hormesis effect with soil microorganisms is just that,  
> a theory until proven false with controlled experiments - not just  
> because someone doesn't believe it.
>
> I'm not saying that what Michael says is true, is or what you are  
> saying is not true, just that it is a possibility to be explored,  
> and dismissing it out of hand because it might sound far fetched,  
> is ......... well not exactly scientifically sound - after all at  
> one time it was accepted theory that the world was flat and the idea  
> that it was round was as unthinkable as what you appear to be saying  
> about hormesis.
>
> Greg H.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Sean K. Barry
> To: Greg and April ; Kevin Chisholm
> Cc: 'Terrapreta Preta'
> Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 15:00
> Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] volatile matter and char
>
> Hi Kevin,
>
> How does your your last sentence ...
>
> "This latter reference
>
>
>   Analysis of a Hormesis Effect in the Leukemia-Caused Mortality Among
>   Atomic Bomb Survivors
>
>
> confirms the existence of the hormesis effect.",
>
> confirm or even show the hormesis effect of charcoal borne (in VM)  
> soil toxins in or on soil or any living biota or the hormesis effect  
> of soil biota in the presence of charcoal toxins?  How is there any  
> connection?  This is a weak inductive argument.  Is there any way  
> you can demonstrate this (confirming one confirms the other)?
>
> Based on the assumption that hormesis in biomass-to-soil applies, is  
> there anything you can predict, that is demonstrable?  Test for the  
> failure of that "new" predicted cause-and-effect and you will  
> support a growing hypothesis, that hormesis has an effect in the use  
> of charcoal as a soil amendment.  Get more people to see and repeat  
> your work, publish a report of this under review by peer scientists,  
> develop new experiments to validate further that hormesis is in  
> effect, and then it will begin to become an accepted theory (and  
> categorically falsifiable by a single failed prediction).
>
> Until then, what you suggest it is a story and an inappropriate  
> generalization, which is potentially totally false.
>
> Regards,
>
> SKB
>
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