[Gasification] Bio-Char

[Erin Rasmussen]

Hi Doug, 

I think one of the clearest papers on the soil properties of biochar and how
it can work in soil systems is by Bruno Glaser and can be downloaded for
free in pdf from the publisher:
 
Daniel Fischer and Bruno Glaser (2012). Synergisms between Compost and
Biochar for Sustainable Soil Amelioration, Management of Organic Waste, Dr.
Sunil Kumar (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-925-7, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/31200.
Available from:
http://www.intechopen.com/books/management-of-organic-waste/synergism-betwee
n-biochar-and-compost-for-sustainable-soil-amelioration

When we're talking about biochar with plants, we are generally talking about
using biochar and compost together. Just as you wouldn't try to live on
charcoal without food, you wouldn't want to feed your plants charcoal
without providing a source of nutrition. So in that sense Tom is right, it
does have the potential to tie up nutrients that are needed by plants. Dan
is right too, sometimes the whole soil system works in ways that aren't
predicted by chemical analysis. But the work done by soil scientists
studying biochar in the last couple of years leads me to believe that the
scientific community be able to understand these interactions well enough to
be able to make reliable application information available to people that
are interested in it.

kind regards,
Erin R. erin at trmiles.com 
-----Original Message-----
From: Gasification [mailto:gasification-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On
Behalf Of Doug
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 10:03 AM

If what you say is correct, then I'd like to know why some charcoal can
survive thousands of years close to the surface and not be totally consumed.
Any further explanation regarding this area of interest I'm sure would be
appreciated by those of us less informed.

Doug Williams,
Fluidyne.