To all,
Here are my presentation notes and the source sites for the slides. Because most of these slides are pictures the file is to big to e-mail using any common means so I provided the source sites so you can make you own PowerPoint. The presentation notes are a guidline and are not everyting that needs to be said about any aspect of Terra Preta. I am willing to help out anybody who wants to use this as a base for their own presentation. I can help with facts, wording, ideas, whatever. I also had some handouts; The Nature Article, Humus Still a Mystery, one on oil drum kilns, and you may want to use the newest one out of Discover magazine April. Let me know what I can do!
EARTH DAY IS COMING UP!! GET OUT AND TELL THE WORLD WORLD ABOUT TERRA PRETA!! Presentation Notes A. Introduction
Randy Black Math teacher Hill City High School
Tonight Terra Preta what it is why it works how to make how to apply and why its good for the environment (SLIDE 1) (GIVE SHORT DEFINITION)
B. How I became interested
Jarrod Diamonds book Collapse and what challenges I see our society facing in the future
The part the stuck in my mind as a middle aged person I wont see to many effects, but my children will
Main point You have food you have society.
One thing America does very well, food. California alone has the world 9th largest economy largely based on food production
How to make sure we always have food Terra Preta
C. History of Terra Preta (SLIDE 2)
In 1542 Spanish conquistador Francisco Orellana and party were the first Europeans to explore the Amazon area
Saw large complex civilizations Many people, cities farms
Next explorers 60 years later found nothing but a few hunter-gatherer tribes
Apparently these large organized Amazonian society were wiped out by the germs Orellana brought with him
A good description of this is in another Jarod Diamond book Guns, Germs, and Steel for which he won the Pulitzer Prize.
Both books are great for understanding the why of History rather than just the surface facts.
For about 200 years Orellana was thought to have just made up account of these Amazonian societies.
Starting in 1871 scientists began to notice and investigate areas of extreme fertility where the soil was not the typical yellow-orange-white color but black, rich in soil organic matter, and very productive (SLIDE 3)
Start of research into why these soils that were dubbed Terra Preta de Indio which is Portuguese for Dark Earth or Black Earth, were formed (SLIDE 4)
D. Terra Preta Soils
Very dark, rich, fertile, high in SOM and microbial life that are found right next to typically poor leached acidic tropical soils (slide 3)
These soils have been found to be man made (SLIDE 5) full of ceramics, fish bones, turtle shells, and animal bones
The defining ingredient of these soils is the level of charcoal, 10 to 40% with about a 20% average on true Terra Preta sites
These soils were associated with the towns and cities the Orellana first saw and are the result of infield burning, composting, and charring of organic wastes.
Discuss the difference between Terra Preta vs. Terra Mullata
Some of the existing societies of Amazonian still practice a form of this today (SLIDES 6, 7, 8). These are pictures from the Kayapo tribe.
E. The main effect of charcoal enriched soils is increased fertility and crop yield
(SLIDE 9) Today Terra Preta is so valued for its properties that it is dug up and sold as potting soil
This slide (SLIDE 10) shows the typical result between normal tropical soils and Terra Preta we may not see that much difference as our soils start out better that the typical tropical soil
This slide (SLIDE 11) shows the typical difference in biomass yields that Terra Preta gives
(SLIDE 12 AND 13) Terra Preta can be used to enhance already existing soils to benefit what is already growing The Brazilians, Australians, and Japanese are leaders in Terra Preta research because they have poor tropical soils, poor soils in general, and limited agricultural land
F. This increased fertility is due to the physical and chemical properties of the carbon in charcoal (SIDE 14
The number one property that carbon gives soil is its adsorbency charcoal (activated charcoal) is used to purify both air and water and is used to adsorb toxic chemicals in poison victims
(SLIDE 15) What give carbon its adsorbent property is the number of valence electrons in its outer shell, 4. This gives carbon the ability to bond easily with other compounds and for these bonds to break easily. There are more compounds of carbon than all the other elements combined.
In soil charcoal adsorbs the nutrients onto its surface and thus reduces leaching
Charcoal has an extremely high surface area 400m2 per gram so 10 grams has approximately the same surface area as a football field (SLIDE 16 )
This makes what you have in the soil or put into the soil stay in the soil until needed by plants/crops.
These nutrients bond to the surface of the charcoal but not tightly and are exchangeable with other systems in the soil
Charcoal also maintains a good moisture regime in the soil by absorbing water but also providing drainage for excess water
Provides an environment that microbes and fungi like (SLIDE 17 )
Also seems to adsorb the byproducts of microbial reparation including methane, nitrous oxide, and possibly CO2 keeping these elements in the soil for use and reuse
I stress use and reuse because at some point a symbiosis is reached where unstable organic matter in the soil cycles to stable organic matter (humus, humin) which in turn promotes good soil health and creates a self sustaining soil system that captures, cycles, and recycles SOM
This is where charcoal and biochar differ. Biochar breaks down more readily and fuels the humus formation whereas wood charcoal is more recalcitrant.
The physical structure of charcoal also enhances soil structure and texture
G. Factors of Good Soil Health
Structure (SLIDE 18) charcoal is light and airy providing air space and moisture properties
Works to increase SOM
Texture (SLIDE 19) Brings clay level down and works like adsorbent sand
I am very interested in how this may amend soils to bring into production marginal lands
What you want in soil is loam-sandy loam
CEC (SLIDE 20 ) Charcoal enhances nutrient movement just like clay and humus
The more nutrient movement the easier it is for root hairs to access nutrients
Fungi also extend the reach of root hairs to available nutrients
H. Making Charcoal (SLIDE 21) or Buying
Hand out
Show steps kiln samples
Making Biochar (WHY)
Combustion Continuum (WHY)
Need to replicate what Amazonian Indians did which is char lots of different material and dont worry about making it scientific, they didnt
Grinding box inside of box and 3 2x4s
Dont breathe fumes from charcoal or soot particles
Do on a slightly windy day
I. Carbon Posting
Just like the Amazonians let the charcoal composts with dirt and organic material
Add bone meal in place of their fish and turtle shells provides calcium and phosphorous
Avoid nitrogen shock
Starts SOM formation
Buffers ph
Charcoal dynamics depends on what you char, the temperature, and the completeness of the charring. Try and get a balance depending on your soil.
J. I encourage you to understand what your soil needs and research benefits that apply to you and your goals with your soil/crops
Make a test plot
My example of solid clay no SOM soil want lots of charcoal, biochar, charred manure, fresh manure, and compost material. In particular I am putting in more partially charred wood (small pieces) than I would for an already productive soil
Use no till methods like forking once you have the main body of charcoal in the soil
Tilling disturbs SOM and lends to its rapid breakdown and depletion
Avoid compaction one farmer uses partially charred sticks to form a path in his garden so he is avoiding compaction while enhancing the soil
K. Carbon Sequestration (SLIDE 22) to Mitigate Global Warming
Putting charcoal in the soil as a sink for excess carbon is a good idea because charcoal stays in soil for hundreds and thousands of years
Charcoal doesnt degrade much in the soil but gets oxidized enough to provide carbon for microbial use and humus formation
We will need many farmers and agencies to make a big difference
Many people are looking at biochar and charcoal as the end process of making bio fuels (SLIDE 23 AND 24)
Not many countries have the land/agricultural resources to make bio fuels
L. Last story you never know if any one thing you do will make a difference in the future (SLIDE 25)
List of Slides
I have tried to send my PowerPoint but the size makes it too big for most computers. Here is a list of where I obtained the slides from so you may make your own. PowerPoint slides are listed with mine first and with sources second. They match up to the lecture notes.
Tailor your slide show to what you like. As you access these slide shows use what you think is important. I myself stressed the soil physics (slides 18, 19, 20) and did not spend much time on the biofuels/carbon sequestration part. I also did a section on how to make charcoal but instead of slides brought in my little garbage can kiln and various examples of charcoal and biochar.
You may have to cut and paste or type these addresses in as sometimes the link function does not seem to work to these sites. If you have trouble just Google around and you will find lots of online slide shows.
These three I made myself and the others are from the listed websites.
Slide 1 these are the sections of the PP, The Terra Preta Effect, Carbon in Soil, How to Make Charcoal/Biochar, Carbon Sequestration.
Slide 14 just a big C with the 4 handles that carbon has to show bonding effect
Slide 25 You Never Know
. this was the close and I told a personal story to illustrate how you never know if any one little thing you might do will make a difference in the world. End your program how you would like.
Slide 2 Map of Terra Preta sites in the Amazon Terra Preta: A 2000 year Old Soil Experiment #19
Slide 4 Picture of Terra Preta and adjacent soil #20
Slide 9 Terra Preta sites are so valued
#19
Slide 10 - Could not find the slide for this just put in one that shows grow with charcoal
Slide 11 - #24
Slide 12 - #31
Slide 13 - #32
Slide 15 - #33
Slide 17 - #29
Slide 22 - #13 Shows magazine covers about global warming
Slide 23 - #51 Shows cycle of biomass to fuels to carbon/nitrogen and back to charcoal
InfinitEnergy - Spring Workshop, 2005 then go to Biomass B and click on the Danny Day presentation Carbon Cycling
Slide 3 Terra Preta and Background soil (showing black properties) #5
Slide 16 - #26 Charcoal structure
Slide 24 - #22 Shows a drawing of biochar/biofuels plant
http://ciifad.cornell.edu/activities...eill110806.pdf
Slide 5 Terra Preta and Indian Ceramics #6
http://www.georgiaitp.org/carbon/PDF...teinerpres.pdf
Slide 6 and 7 Pictures of Indian burning practices #14 and #13
Slide 8 Dynamics of Terra Preta #10
www.georgiaitp.org/carbon/PDF%20Files/SHecht.pdf
Slide 18 is Soil structure picture
Slide 19 is soil texture picture
UMass Extension Vegetable Program - Soil & Nutrient Management
Slide 20 Cation Exchange Capacity slide- Carrot and Ions
Cation Exchange Capacity
Slide 21 was off of E-Bay just showing you can buy charcoal but it is expensive. I used this to lead into my demonstration of how to make charcoal at home.
3D Championship Golf Champion!
