[Terrapreta] Soil test and CEC

[Jim Joyner]

From: Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com>
 
I would like to mention again  . . .that one of the most important 
reasons for using a biomass feedstock to make charcoal (i.e. biochar) for 
amendment into soil is that the plants which constitute that biomass take CO2 
out of the atmosphere when they grow . . .


. . . I would point out that the entire climate system, not just 
the soils needs remediation.  The survivability of some current floral 
cultures and productivity of agriculture will not depend alone on soil 
health.  Rising GHG concentrations and the resulting higher global 
temperatures have been shown to increase the incidence and depth of 
droughts.  The atmosphere is being sickened daily with our pumping fossil 
fuel carbon into it.  Healthy soils alone under an unhealthy atmosphere is 
not going to get us what we wish to achieve in terms of agricultural 
revival.

 

Amending soil with biochar made from grown biomass feedstock sources will 
improve both the atmosphere and the soils.




Sean, 

While I think carbon sequestration is probably a good bet, anthropogenic causes are still something of a conjecture (I realize I may be somewhat politically incorrect here). While global climate change may be a given, there are more better and reasons to believe climate change is due to solar activity and their effect on cosmic rays.

I bring this up, not to start an argument about climate change and causes but to point out that carbon sequestration will have an attendant cost and someone will have to bare it. The reason why I think carbon sequestration is still a good bet is because much the expense for it can be borne by the cost of cleaning up the Earth's air of pollution -- we know who is causing that and roughly who should pay for it.

My other concern is that if humans are not causing climate change, we have an even bigger problem: adapting. We will need disparately to find better ways to feed people in a changing environment. We need to grow crops with better moisture and nutrient retention. So, I would put soil improvement on at least an equal footing with carbon sequestration if not a higher priority.

Jim



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