[Terrapreta] Charcoal and smoke extract stimulate the soil microbial community in a highly weathered xanthic Ferralsol

[Tom Miles]

Christoph Steiner et.al paper on" Charcoal and smoke extract
<http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node/588>  stimulate the soil
microbial community in a highly weathered xanthic Ferralsol" published in
the journal Pedobiologia, Volume 51, Issue 5-6, p.359-366 (2008) is now
available for purchase on Science direct. 


Summary

The influence of charcoal and smoke condensates (pyroligneous acid, PA) on
microbial activity in a highly weathered Amazonian upland soil was assessed
via measurements of basal respiration (BR), substrate-induced respiration
(SIR), and exponential population increase after substrate addition. PA
extracts are commonly used for fertilizer or as pest control in Brazil,
where phosphorus (P) availability and nitrogen (N) leaching are among the
most severe limitations for agriculture. Microbes play an important role in
nutrient cycling and solubilizing of phosphate. BR, microbial biomass,
population growth and the microbe's efficiency (expressed by the metabolic
quotient) increased linearly and significantly with increasing charcoal
concentrations (50, 100 and 150 g kg_1 soil). Application of PA caused a
sharp increase in all parameters. We suppose that the condensates from smoke
contain easily degradable substances and only small amounts of inhibitory
agents, which could be utilized by the microbes for their metabolism.


See: http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node/588


Tom


 


 

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