[Terrapreta] Terra Preta and the Carbon Community

[Randy Black]

To all,
 
Every once in awhile I write all my current thoughts on Terra Preta, what I've read and what I've seen in my garden. Here is my most recent summary. Let me know if you feel the same way as I am sold on TP for many reasons and think what we all are doing and investigating is of utmost importance for the future.
 
Terra Preta and the Carbon Community
 
The defining characteristic of any good soil it the amount of carbon in the soil. This carbon comes in the form of organic matter, microbes and fungi, humus and other long chain carbon compounds, and worms, beetles, slugs, and other insect life. All of these forms of carbon make up the carbon community of the soil and they all contribute to the movement of carbon as organic matter comes in, decomposes, and is converted to food for all the soils biological life. It is the amount and variety of these various forms of carbon and the degree of movement from one state to another that makes good soil.
 
Making Terra Preta soil by adding charcoal and biochar enhances the biological carbon community by physically altering the soil structure and texture to provide biologic niches for microbes and fungi, a storage site for nutrients and ions, and physically changes the soils structure and texture for better moisture control and aeration. Although charcoal is highly resistant to physical and chemical breakdown some transfer of carbon must take place and some of the carbon slowly enters the carbon community. Biochar (partially carbonized organic matter) seems to enter the carbon community at a faster pace and is assimilated by the soil easier than pure charcoal alone.
 
What adding charcoal to soil does is enhance the carbon community and increase in viability and movement of carbon from one state to another. The end result of the carbon community is plant production and when soil is managed correctly with organic matter out equal to organic matter in than a sustainable productive soil is created and maintained.  The chemical and physical properties of charcoal and carbon along with a diverse and viable carbon community may also affect the soil by moderating extremes in the soils chemistry and create an environment conducive to optimal plant growth.
 
Adding charcoal to the soil also is a form of carbon sequestration in the following ways;

The amount of the charcoal itself
Increased retention of organic matter
Increased production of humus and other long chained carbon compounds
Greater plant growth and production 
 
Thanks to all,
Randy Black
 


      
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