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

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> 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?!
It is indeed not credible that man-made TP, made from charcoal, can grow 
back and replace itself. However, it is very feasible that a eutrophying 
depression could regenerate naturally made Terra Preta. I would propose 
the following points for discussion:

1: There are two kinds of Terra Preta... Natural and Man-made.

2: Natural Terra Preta deposits are made as a result of eutrophication 
of fresh water bodies. (Lakes, ponds, sinkholes, marshes, river margins, 
etc)

3: Man-made Terra Preta Sites can be made as follows:
3:1 By partially draining a natural Terra Preta Site.
3:2 By taking naturally made Terra Preta from its site of manufacture, 
and spreading it on land to increase its fertility
3:3 By making char from biomass and mixing it in with local soil, to 
increase its CEC

What are your thoughts?

Best wishes,

Kevin


>  
> 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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