[Terrapreta] TP and prairie soils

[David Yarrow]

you are right on with that observation.  i have a bit of experience with buffalo -- but only a herd of 30, not tens of thousands.  they are very impressive animals:
www.onondagalakepeacefestival.org/soil/Buffalo.htm

however, i'm wondering that perhaps the prairies of the upper midwest were not swept by huge herds as vast as the western high plains.

also, i'm wondering if there are differences between burning dry grasses and underbrush, versus a fire that consumes vegetation in its green state.  green plant material may have enough water to damp down the fire, reduce its top temperature, and produce less ash and more char.  i know danny day at univ. of GA introduces water into his pyrolysis chamber to lower and regulate the temperature, and shift the biofuel yield toward hydrogen.  

perhaps burning wet green wood and thick green leafy biomass has a similar effect to lower the temperature and increase the yield of reduced rather than oxidied carbon.  makes sense to me that a smoldering fire is more a reducing fire than a hot, fully flaming fire.  we are used to thinking about wildfires during a drought, or in a conifer forest which is rich in flammable oils and resins.

kep in mind the ancient prairies were mostly tall grasses reaching 5 to 7 foot heights -- that's a lot of biomass to burn.  and even when the top green growth burns, all those perennial roots are left deep in the soil.

David Yarrow
"If yer not forest, yer against us."
Turtle EyeLand Sanctuary
44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061
dyarrow at nycap.rr.com
www.championtrees.org
www.OnondagaLakePeaceFestival.org
www.citizenre.com/dyarrow/
www.farmandfood.org
www.SeaAgri.com
 
"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, 
if one only remembers to turn on the light."  
-Albus Dumbledore

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Janice Stettler 
  To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org 
  Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 3:50 PM
  Subject: [Terrapreta] TP and prairie soils



  I don't wish to add an additional layer of complexity to discussions of soil fertility in the plains, but a rather massive soil organism numbering by some estimates, 98 million, may be responsible.  The American bison migrated from Canada to Mexico in a broad swath consuming prairie grass and producing ruminant waste scuffled into the soil by their sharp hooves.  For aeons they were integral part of prairie ecology and probably the closest thing to Lil Abner's schmoo with a real living heart beat.  As a farmer I know poop and ruminant poop is unequaled for residual effect.


  Tony Stettler




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