[Terrapreta] Terrapreta Digest, Vol 13, Issue 6

[Richard Haard]

Nikolaus - I do not agree with your view on the role of charcoal in  
soil.

The latest issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment has this  
review of the role of charcoal in soil deposited by natural wildfire  
events

Charcoal and carbon storage in forest soils of the Rocky Mountain  
West  by TH DeLuca and GH Aplet

Front Ecol Environ 2008; 6(1): 18-24,doi:10.1890/070070

 From their review - rewritten by me. Citations for each point  
excluded but available

charcoal increases soil water holding capacity and reduces bulk density
charcoal acts as a reservoir for alkaline metals and phosphate
provides sites for cation exchange capacity
gives soil darker color which influences warming

given above range of broad beneficial physical properties charcoal has  
the potential to function as a surrogate for humus in temperate,  
boreal and tropical soils that otherwise have limited organic matter.  
< this is becoming evident in my own studies on low OM sandy soil>

and
For example revelations from studies of terra preta soils , ancient  
agricultural soils amended with charcoal and manure , demonstrate that  
charcoal can greatly influence soil productivity and ecosystem  
diversity.

In addition to its porous structure (above) charcoal generally  
exhibits hydrophobic properties that make it well suited to sorbtion  
of organic compounds, such as root exudates, liter decomposition  
products, microbial byproducts. Recently formed charcoal adsorbs  
allelopathic phenolic compounds released by invasive species that  
inhibit native plant seed germination in natural systems. <This  
property may have broader implications>

Charcoals ability to adsorb root exudates and litter decomposition  
products may be related to the stimulatory effect of charcoal on  
nitrification in acetic conifer soils. < and what can we presume in  
agricultural soils?>

Charcoals hydrophobic properties may also make it an important factor  
in soil humus formation

Charcoal is highly resistant to decomposition and may have mean  
residence times of 3000 to 12000 years compared to the mean residence  
times of litter and twigs for mere months to dozens of years for large  
woody stems.

It seems to me the role of charcoal in soil is way more complex than  
any nutrients brought along into the soil on introduction and that  
it's effect is cumulative as opposed to transient with fertilizer.  
Simple application of fertilizer to me is the problem we think with  
this terra preta phenomenon will mitigate for economic, resource  
depletion and environmental impacts and factors.

I do not know why else I am here. We need to understand that the role  
of charcoal in natural ecosystem soils and in agricultural cultivation  
as this is an emerging field of science only now gaining recognition  
as a potential best practice for farming. In forest management  
charcoal deposition as a result of management practices is becoming a  
factor in  timberland use thanks to Deluca et al's studies.

Very exciting times and too complex to reduce this issue down to a  
simple bottom line cost based decision.

Rich


On Feb 5, 2008, at 11:48 AM, Nikolaus Foidl wrote:

>
>
> Dear All¨!
>
> As more as I see and learn about charcoal in soil as more I have  
> certain
> assurance that's just micro and macronutrients added to poor soil. The
> charcoal could not prove itself so far to enhance productivity, in  
> contrary
> in extreme cases where nitrogen was nearly absent results are worse  
> then
> without charcoal. In trials adding water soluble potassium and a mix  
> of the
> micronutrients you add with charcoal to the same soil, until now  
> bring the
> same results then charcoal adding. Now if there is no CO2 credit I  
> doubt
> that the charcoal to soil has any future, because adding the amount  
> of micro
> and macronutrients to the soil( in the amount you bring into the  
> soil by
> adding 40 tons of charcoal/ha ) is much cheaper with a boom  
> application on
> the soil or foliar. The application costs even can be saved adding the
> liquid fertilizer to a pesticide or fungicide you have to spray  
> anyway. So a
> once a year application of liquid fertilizer mix would cost some 3  
> to 5 US$
> versus 40 tons of Charcoal with lets say 50 US$ per ton ( 2000 US$  
> per ha).
> I still keep trying to get to some clear and prove able data that  
> charcoal
> without soluble or extractable micro and macro nutrients has any  
> effect on
> soil. Not found prove until today. Science is about proving,  
> evaluating and
> repeatability of data and not about believing and illusions.
> Its clear to everybody that the amazon people had no way to apply a  
> micro
> and macro fertilizer mix to there soils to improve the inert sand  
> for crop
> production, or phrased different the adding of household waste, trash,
> garden waste and charred wood and ash from the cooking fires was the
> precursor of modern fertilization.The romans and the greeks had some  
> very
> simple and rudimentary piston pumps for pumping water but this does  
> not mean
> that today we through away the several times more efficient modern  
> pumps
> just because the ancient people knew it better.Maybe we should focus  
> on
> stripping a bit the esoteric amazon- ancient-wise guy crab and get  
> to real
> data instead of continued guessing and believing with out conclusive  
> data.
> Sorry for being a bit un polite but since month there are few , very  
> few
> real works like those from Rob on the net or in the forum, most is  
> just pure
> bull... and guessing. If somebody wants to see our results please  
> drop me a
> mail so i can get you access to our webpage.( to many photos for  
> this forum,
> not finished the trials, so no conclusions yet)
>
> Again sorry for being a bit crabby today best regards Nikolaus
>
>
>
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