Environmental Benefits of Biochar

Ippolito, J.A. and Laird, D.A. and Busscher, W.J. (2012) Environmental Benefits of Biochar. Journal of Environmental Quality. 41(4):967-972. July 2012.

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Abstract

Understanding and improving environmental quality by reducing soil nutrient leaching losses, reducing bioavailability of environmental contaminants, sequestering C, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing crop productivity in highly weathered or degraded soils, has been the goal of agroecosystem researchers and producers for years. Biochar, produced by pyrolysis of biomass, may help attain these goals. The desire to advance understanding of the environmental and agronomic implication of biochar utilization led to the organization of the 2010 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Environmental Quality Division session entitled Biochar Effects on the Environment and Agricultural Productivity (Long Beach, CA; Oct. 31-Nov. 3). Twenty-five presentations from this session, and sessions at the 2010 U.S. Biochar Initiative Conference (Ames, IA; June 27-30) and Biochar Symposium 2010 (organized by Dr. Bruno Glaser; University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany, July 8-9), make up a special collection of review and technical research papers focused on biochar creation and utilization. Individual contributions deal with improvement of the biochar knowledge base, current information gaps, and future biochar research needs. The prospect of biochar utilization is promising, as biochars may be custom designed for specific environmental applications.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1429
Subjects:	Soil
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	20 Jul 2012 18:52
Last Modified:	20 Jul 2012 18:52
Item ID:	1464
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/1464