Science Forums 2

[Michaelangelica]

'Issues in "Tera preta

Seems there are a lot of conversations going on here about different aspects of Tera Preta. Aspects I am just becoming aware of.
I thought I would try to sort them out with the help of 'www garryjones.org'

1 Advantages of Tera preta gardening/ farming tecniques to soil-
a) Better water holding capacity
b) Increase tilth
c) Less fertiliser needed by
i) Capturing nutrients-trace minerals- in rainwater
ii) Increases plant nutrient uptake (cation exchange capacity)
iii) Increases microbial activity (& therefore soil fertility)
iv) Decrease of nutrient leaching
v) Increases nitrogen uptake
vi) Charchol is rich in potassium salts
d) Decrease of nutrient run-off and therefore pollution of lakes/ rivers
e) Increase crop and biomass yields.
f) Reduces farm input costs (fertiliser, water)
g) Provides sustainable production systems that minimise pollution and soil degradation.
h) Soil seems to "re-grow"
i) Can restore degraded topsoil

2 Disadvatages of Terra preta methods to soil
a) may increase soil ph
b) rich in potassium salts

2 Ecological advantages
a) Provides long-term sequestration of carbon
b) Can provide very significant counter to human-caused carbon emissions
c) Widespread use could therefore change climate.
d) can restore degraded topsoil

3 Ecological disadvantages
a) Widespread use could change climate (It depends on weather you believe the earth-climate is in a warming or cooling phase.)


4 Power production implications
a) "Pyrolysis" Technology (low temperature) can produce oil, hydrogen or electricity using various plants such as wood chips and sugarcane bagasse. In turn producing carbon for Terra preta farming and gardening.
b) "Syngas"
"Recent developments have taught us how to produce charchol plus a hydrogen-rich "syngas for ammonia synthesis and fuel production." gary jones.org
c) ? charcoal used to clean up power plant exhaust "wile removing CO2, SOx and NOx from coal power plant exhaust the charcoal is enriched with nitrogen crating asoil amendment fertiliser" garyjones

4 How do you make charcoal (low temp. needed -'probably')
a) solar burner ( see previous posts)
b) Coppicing
c) Burning farm/garden waste without oxygen (Covering with sods of grass?)

5 Soil Microorganisms Terra preta teaches the importance of these
a) Can be purchased.
b) How do you make your own for home/garden?-compost soups, bio dynamics etc
c) Stimulates Indigenous Arbuscular Fungi (AMF) in soil
d) stimulates rhizobia


6 Other questions?? (add your own)
CO2 Exchange, Carbon Credits Kyoto protocols??
Is Tera preta unique to Amazon because of a unique suite of microorganisms?
Can it work it my pots at home?
How much charcoal should I use in Potting Mix in pots?
Should farmers Green mnaure crops or make charcoal from bio mas?
(Some sugarcane farmers burn some don't- burnt practices slightly increase soil fertility going against coventional wiasdom ie not-burning less polluting)

What sort of charcoal?
IS "BBQ Charcoal" as good as "Horticultural Charcoal" or "Activated Charcoal"?

Perhaps we can 'flag' which aspect of the conversation we are responding to in the headding eg., Terra preta (. . . ) (-the story so far)?