[Terrapreta] TP growing back--was: TP theft.

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Kurt,

I thought this was strange too.  I like your idea about erosion moving un-mined TP soil back into the holes.  Perhaps plant waste is still being charred and put back onto the sites by the landowners?  They made money once selling the TP soil, why not make more?  Then tell everybody else that the stuff just grows on your land, hmmm?  Maybe the humus continues to grow and fills in the lost volume?  I wouldn't think that untended, TP soil would grow back too much.

As you suggest, where would the charcoal come from.  I can't see how it can just regenerate, left untended.   If untended TP soil continued to regenerate itself every 20 years, it would seem that all of the Earth's terrestrial surface would have now been covered in meters deep TP soil!  Supposedly some TP soils are 4000 years old.  If it regenerates itself (doubles in size?) every 20 years, well then that is 200 or so regenerative cycles, right?

You've heard that story about give me a penny today, two tomorrow, four the next, etc.  In just thirty daily cycles (a month) that is something like ten or eleven million dollars!  There is no evidence that TP soil is even burgeoning off the shores of South America yet, so I don't really believe it has regenerative powers in 20 years?!

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: rukurt at westnet.com.au<mailto:rukurt at westnet.com.au> 
  To: Terrapreta<mailto:Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 3:28 AM
  Subject: [Terrapreta] TP growing back--was: TP theft.



  Hi folkes,

  I keep seeing mention of TP soils being mined and then, over a period of 
  some years (20?) "growing back". 

  How?

  Is the charcoal in the soil mysteriously multiplying and moving out into 
  the soil?
  Is someone clandestinely adding charcoal to the soil?
  How does the allegedly "grown back" TP soil compare with the original 
  soil that was carted off?

  Anybody have any ideas?

  Perhaps erosion is moving soil from unmined TP areas into the holes left 
  by the mining?


  Kurt

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