Mycorrhiza

[RobArb]

it does help having access to resources

[woodlander]

- for my part end this "debate" on charcoal

 

Running away eh :biggrin:this must convince you :

 

See: Biochar effects on soil biota - A review

 

ScienceDirect - Soil Biology and Biochemistry : Biochar effects on soil biota – A review

 

 

 

Johannes Lehmann, Matthias Rillig, Janice Thies, Caroline A. Masiello, William C. Hockaday, David Crowley

 

 

 

a b s t r a c t

 

Soil amendment with biochar is evaluated globally as a means to improve soil fertility and to mitigate

 

climate change. However, the effects of biochar on soil biota have received much less attention than its

 

effects on soil chemical properties. A review of the literature reveals a significant number of early studies

 

on biochar-type materials as soil amendments either for managing pathogens, as inoculant carriers or for

 

manipulative experiments to sorb signaling compounds or toxins. However, no studies exist in the soil

 

biology literature that recognize the observed large variations of biochar physico-chemical properties. This

 

shortcoming has hampered insight into mechanisms by which biochar influences soil microorganisms,

 

fauna and plant roots. Additional factors limiting meaningful interpretation of many datasets are the

 

clearly demonstrated sorption properties that interfere with standard extraction procedures for soil

 

microbial biomass or enzyme assays, and the confounding effects of varying amounts of minerals. In most

 

studies, microbial biomass has been found to increase as a result of biochar additions, with significant

 

changes in microbial community composition and enzyme activities that may explain biogeochemical

 

effects of biochar on element cycles, plant pathogens, and crop growth. Yet, very little is known about the

 

mechanisms through which biochar affects microbial abundance and community composition. The effects

 

of biochar on soil fauna are even less understood than its effects on microorganisms, apart from several

 

notable studies on earthworms. It is clear, however, that sorption phenomena, pH and physical properties

 

of biochars such as pore structure, surface area and mineral matter play important roles in determining

 

how different biochars affect soil biota. Observations on microbial dynamics lead to the conclusion of

 

a possible improved resource use due to co-location of various resources in and around biochars. Sorption

 

and thereby inactivation of growth-inhibiting substances likely plays a role for increased abundance of soil

 

biota. No evidence exists so far for direct negative effects of biochars on plant roots. Occasionally observed

 

decreases in abundance of mycorrhizal fungi are likely caused by concomitant increases in nutrient

 

availability, reducing the need for symbionts. In the short term, the release of a variety of organic molecules

 

from fresh biochar may in some cases be responsible for increases or decreases in abundance and activity

 

of soil biota. A road map for future biochar research must include a systematic appreciation of different

 

biochar-types and basic manipulative experiments that unambiguously identify the interactions between

 

biochar and soil biota.

 

_ 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

[Fungus]

Running away eh this must convince you : Biochar effects on soil biota - A review

 

a b s t r a c t

1). Soil improve ... soil fertility ... soil biota ... soil chemical properties ... microorganisms ... fauna and plant roots ... soil ... microbial biomass ... enzyme ... microbial biomass ... changes in microbial community composition ... enzyme activities ... plant pathogens ... crop growth ... microbial abundance and community composition ... soil fauna ... faunal population ... microorganisms ... earthworms ... soil biota ... microbial ... soil biota ... plant roots ... ecology of microorganisms.

2). decreases in abundance of mycorrhizal fungi are likely caused by concomitant increases in nutrient availability, reducing the need for symbionts ... unambiguously identify the interactions between biochar and soil biota ... and from the content : 4. Management of risks of biochar for soil biota, and : 4.1 Changing the native soil biota.

 

Dear anonymous or whoever - for obvious reasons - hides behind the alias of woodlander,

 

Running away from what or whom ? From a ridiculous and pointless "debate" with someone anonymous, who clearly neither does have the expertise or education, nor the skills to fully understand and evaluate the essence of the articles he without reading them first "cherry picks" from internet and who never answers any of the questions I raise in reply to his non-sense citations ?

And of what must I be convinced ? Of your lack of knowledge and incompetence in the field of forest ecology, tree species specific ecosystems, mycology and the soil food web ?

 

As you obviously have a burning urge to (again) make a complete fool of yourself by (again) displaying total ignorance of the effects of a product you're an advocate (and producer and/or reseller : afraid of loosing your bussiness, are you ?) of, on (natural) forests with tree species associated with ectomycorrhizal macrofungi, I'll for the last time facilitate you in this :

- by referring to the terms used in the abstract after 1), I kindly repeated,

and without expecting a valid answer, i.e. any answer at all, regarding 2). asking you :

- what scientific evidence of the assumed "likelyhood" of mycorrhizal fungi (what type : endo- or ectomycorrhizae ?) decreasing because of increases in nutrient availability you can produce,

- what the exact changes in native soil biota are, which must be attributed to biochar,

- whether these changes are permanent or temporarely and

- how detrimental they are for the native soil food web.

 

I end my last post on biochar with a simple tip you might even understand : if you quick scan or read an article, text or abstract and you don't come across words such as tree, tree root, (natural) forest, ectomycorrhizae, symbiotic macrofungi, tree species specific ecosystem and soil food web, it's not about or significant for European forestry in general and "management" of trees in need of natural habitats, in which they can live in harmony with their tree species specific partners, in particular.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Fungus

[erich]

Go to the Japan Biochar Association;

 

http://www.geocities.jp/yasizato/pioneer.htm

 

 

2. Utilization in Forestry and Revegetation

 

1) Rehabilitation and reforestation of trees and pine forest by charcoal and mycorrhiza

 

In 1980, Ogawa et al. (38) tried to apply the bark charcoal powders with a small amount of chemical fertilizers and succeeded to promote the growth of pine, Pinus thunbergii and cultivate the mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizopogon rubescens which is a dominant mycorrhizal species in the young stand with infertile basic sand

 

Some chemical fertilizers, urea, ammonium sulfate, super lime phosphate and synthetic chemical fertilizer, were added to bark charcoal powder with 0.1-1.0% (W / W) respectively. These materials were buried into the trenches 30 cm in depth and width after cutting the roots and then covered with sand. The regenerated fresh roots grew inside the charcoal layers vigorously after 3 months and the mushrooms appeared abundantly along the trenches 9 months later. After a year, the amounts of pine root and mycorrhiza increased considerably in the charcoal layers. In addition, the growth of shoots and the color of needles became better than before treatment. These apparent effects probably resulted from the regeneration of roots and the formation of mycorrhiza. It might be caused from the enhanced nutrient uptake and the water absorption through mycorrhiza. The water content in the charcoal was remarkably higher and it was kept at 40 % even in mid summer comparing with 5 % outside the charcoal layer (39).

 

After publishing the experiment results, similar phenomena were confirmed by many researchers in local forest experiment stations, because it is an edible mushroom in Japan. For example, Hirasa (40) devised the growing method of seedling with the mycorrhiza and the field cultivation method.

 

The same method has been widely accepted by professional gardeners and applied to various kinds of tree species to revive famous old trees in shrines, temples and parks. Usually the charcoal powder, maximum 1 cm in diameter, has been buried in trenchs or holes together with a small amount of phosphate fertilizer and the spores of suitable mycorrhizal fungi to host plant. Sometimes the root system was exposed removing top soil and covered by charcoal powder as well. Also in nurseries, the charcoal fertilizer is mixed with pot soil to improve soil properties and inoculate the mycorrhizal fungi (41).

 

Both pine wilting disease by the insect and nematode and oak wilting by the insect and fungi have been spreading mainly in western Japan for several decades, and now it has become very serious problems in forestry. Pinus densiflora forest in low land has mostly disappeared in the southwest and reaches to northern most area of Honshu. Pinus thunbergii forest which had been planted along the seacoast to prevent natural disasters was also declining. Therefore, the practical methods of the rehabilitation and reforestation of pine forest have been eagerly expected in rural areas.

 

Mycorrhiza formation is essential to Pinus species which generate the forests as a pioneer plant at dry sites with infertile soil. These fungi also prefer to propagate in dry and infertile soil conditions. Therefore, it has been well known through the ecological study of pine forest (2) that the man-made pine forest should be kept at the primary stage of plant succession by cutting all of under shrubs and raking out the litter layer.

 

M. Ogawa proposed to rehabilitate and reforest the coastal pine forest using charcoal and mycorrhizal fungi publishing a monograph (41). In the established forest, the same methods described previously have been applied. Meanwhile, in a place from which all of pine tree were destroyed, the under shrubs and top soil must be completely removed before planting. Then pine seedlings with the inoculated mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizopogon, Pithoritus, Suillus species, are planted together with the charcoal powder. The survival rates of these seedlings were much higher than that without mycorrhiza and charcoal.

 

As such a trial, growing tree and burying charcoal, seems to be one of the practical methods for carbon sequestration, Ogawa M. and his colleagues have promoted the movement to make revive “White Sand and Green Pine” which is one of the symbolic scenery of Japan islands in order to contribute the prevention of natural disasters and the countermeasure for global warming.

 

 

 

2) Rehabilitation of tropical rain forest and forestation in semiarid region

M. Ogawa who was working in the rehabilitation project of tropical rain forest in 1989 found that a dominant species, Dipterocarpaceae, forms the ectomycorrhiza with several fungal species among which Scleroderma columnare enhanced the seedling growth efficiently in nursery. He tested the effect of charcoal powder on the growth of Shorea species and found that the small amount of charcoal 2 % in volume was effective to stimulate the mycorrhizal formation and the growth (42). Kikuti J. and M. Ogawa (43) devised the practical inoculation method in which several saplings with the mycorrhiza were planted inside the nursery beds and the pots were set under the canopy. By this method the mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi penetrates through holes of the pot and naturally infected. Mori et al. (44) found rice husk charcoal is also effective and established the more convenient method. Rice husk charcoal is not so harmful even if it was added excessively.

The nursery technique to inoculate the mycorrhizal fungi with charcoal was also used in the forestation project of pine in northern China and obtained successful results (45). The material such as charcoal which has higher water holding capacity is efficient to stimulate the rooting and to supply water to the root through mycorrhiza even under severe dry condition. It can be expected the charcoal will be used in dry land farming like date palm plantation and the revegetation to stop desertification (46).

[Fungus]

1. The Japan Biochar Association : Ogawa

2. bark charcoal powders with a small amount of chemical fertilizers and succeeded to promote the growth of Pinus thunbergii and cultivate the mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizopogon rubescens which is a dominant mycorrhizal species in the young stand with infertile basic sand ... Some chemical fertilizers, urea, ammonium sulfate, super lime phosphate and synthetic chemical fertilizer, were added to bark charcoal powder

3. after cutting the roots ... the regenerated fresh roots grew inside the charcoal layers vigorously after 3 months and the mushrooms appeared abundantly along the trenches 9 months later. After a year, the amounts of pine root and mycorrhiza increased considerably in the charcoal layers. In addition, the growth of shoots and the color of needles became better than before treatment. These apparent effects probably resulted from the regeneration of roots and the formation of mycorrhiza. It might be caused from the enhanced nutrient uptake and the water absorption through mycorrhiza. The water content in the charcoal was remarkably higher and it was kept at 40 % even in mid summer comparing with 5 % outside the charcoal layer.

4. It is an edible mushroom in Japan.

5. Sometimes the root system was exposed removing top soil and covered by charcoal powder as well.

6. Pinus densiflora ... Pinus thunbergii

7. Mycorrhiza formation is essential to Pinus species which generate the forests as a pioneer plant at dry sites ... it has been well known through the ecological study of natural pine forest that the man-made pine forest should be kept at the primary stage of plant succession by cutting all of under shrubs and raking out the litter layer ... in a place from which all of pine tree were destroyed, the under shrubs and top soil must be completely removed before planting ... Rhizopogon, Suillus species, are planted together with the charcoal powder. The survival rates of these seedlings were much higher than that without mycorrhiza and charcoal.

8. tropical rain forest ... dominant species, Dipterocarpaceae, forms the ectomycorrhiza with several fungal species among which Scleroderma columnare

9. Rice husk charcoal is not so harmful even if it was added excessively.

10. The material such as charcoal which has higher water holding capacity is efficient ... to apply water to the root through mycorrhiza even under severe dry condition.

11. date palm plantation

 

Erich ... ???

The charcoal industry and retailers (such as you) of biochar must be desperate, because of the lack of financial profits, trying to reopen the "discussion" on the supposed "benefits" of their "product" by introducing another anonymous, who for the first (and only) time posts on this forum after the previous biochar lobbyist was carried out of the "ring" on a stretcher after a total knock out .

1/4. And what does this "research" done by the President of the Japanese Biochar Association and his "biochar friends" show or "prove" ? That the outcomes are determined by the commercial interests of the producers of biochar and the food industry (Shoro) paying for these "experiments", which are - as always - limited to time periods of one to three years ?

2. Introduction of "synthetic chemical fertilizers" in the soil food web of natural pine forests ? Short term and long term effects ?

2/6/7/8. Can you come up with any research on how indigenous European species of ectomycorrhizal macrofungi from the genus Rhizopogon, Scleroderma and Suillus associated with European pine tree species react to the combined introduction of inoculates, fertilizers and biochar ? And how this would enhance or damage the natural succession of ectomycorrhizal symbionts of the tree species specific ecosystems of Pinus on the long run ? By the way, are you familiar with pioneer pine forests being an in between stage in the natural (i.e. not man-made) succesion of European tree species specific forest ecosystems, which always end in ecosystems in which only tree species specific ecosystems of deciduous tree species are present ? This research afs-journal articles forest on Pinus pinea and its association with Suillus and Rhizopogon rubescens in Lebanon shows the same or better results of colonization (55 %) of (in this case non-cut) roots by ectomycorrhizae of Rhizopogon as does the "research" of Ogawa, but this time without the introduction of charcoal as a water buffering medium.

3. Why "probably" and "might" if the "researchers" are so sure of the effects attributed to charcoal ? They can not provide scientific evidence for their claims ?

3/5. Are you propagating to cut the roots of trees and/or exposing the root system by removing the top soil and all under shrubs and/or raking out the litter layer to "regenerate" root formation ? What is the effect of this "method" on the natural soil food web of "infertile" dry sandy soils, which are characterized by having the highest biodiversity in spores and mycelia of indigenous mycorrhizal symbionts ? And what about the risk of invasion of the damaged roots by (rhizomorphs of) parasites such as Armillaria species ?

3/10. If there is a "beneficial" effect of the introduction of charcoal, then it can only be its water buffering capacities, which just as well can be attained by replacing them with any kind of other water holding medium, which probably can be done at much lesser costs then paying for biochar, tree saver or other "baked air" products, as the Dutch rightfully call them.

9. Not so harmful as other types of (bark) biochar ?

11. What good will ectomycorrhizal macrofungi do to date palms ?

 

Conclusion.

Yet another attempt of another nomen nescio with a clear commercially inspired agenda to promote his products and those of his biochar friends without proper understanding the "research" he cites, nor having a clue what natural forest ecology, including the dynamics of the soil food webs of tree species specific ecosystems and the tree life cycle following succession of (ecto)mycorrhizal symbionts are all about.

And I am grateful for this again drawing attention to the utter nonsense your also anonymous "collegue" previously posted on this thread on mycorrhizae by starting a debate on Terra Preta, of which he thought that it was the same as biochar . Who needs enemies when one has such "friends" ?

Edited June 13, 2011 by Fungus

[RobArb]

the long and short of it....

 

leave well alone to get on with it naturally:thumbup:

[erich]

Yes, the soil food web is vastly under studied, and yes particularly a lack of forest work.

I see chars as a bridging tool for the organic and chemical schools of soil science. both recognize Biochar as a powerful tool to foster biodiversity and nitrogen efficiency in soils. The endorsements of Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Elaine Engham at Rodale Institute & Paul Stamets and the dozens of university research programs attest to this. Along with Dr. Jim Hansen at NASA, Dr. James Lovelock, Nobel laureates; Al Gore and Dr. Mario Molina, Politicians; Tony Blair, Secretaries Salazar & Vilsack, Environmentalist; Tim Flannery, Bill McKibben, Richard Branson & his Carbon War Room.

 

Biochar can even accelerate Dr. Hansen's new 100 GtC of afforestation plan, through utilizing this substantial new addition to today's land-based NPP of about 60 GtC/yr and Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, (living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

"The Case for Young People and Nature: A Path to a Healthy, Natural, Prosperous Future".

http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2011/20110505_CaseForYoungPeople.pdf

 

Dr. Mario Molina, PNAS Report on Reducing abrupt climate change;

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/10/09/0902568106.full.pdf+html

 

The IBI now has 33 biochar affiliates around the world -- including in China, India, Japan UK, US, Australia, Korea, Canada, Italy and Israel.

Note also that our Japanese colleagues in the Japan Biochar Association have a very long tradition of biochar use and have been developing "modern methods" over the last thirty years. A governmental act officially acknowledged charcoal as a "soil ameliorator" back in 1988 and have completed work using Biochar as an in situ sorbent of Cd, and starting work on heavy metal radio-isotopes remediation.

 

PRO-NATURA INTERNATIONAL has the largest numbers of agroforestry soil-C & Biochar projects. Certainly the largest NGO, across the global south. They are very sensitive in both design and co-opting local social values for creating self perpetuated systems. Like the Exponential growth of biologic systems. http://pronatura.org/index.php

 

The Biochar Fund has doubled subsistence farmer's incomes;

Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon

The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all, that , and the size of the Biochar corn root balls

Exceptional Results from Biochar Experiment in Cameroon | International Biochar Initiative

 

I am an ornamental gardener, deeply into composting, with interest in renewable energy, I started researching char 5 years ago, networking practitioners & researchers.

 

There is great debate on the mechanisms but great consistency in the increased yields in temperate soils and tropical soils, respectively.

 

Beyond Rectifying the Carbon Cycle;

Biochar systems Integrate nutrient management serving the same healing function for the Nitrogen & Phosphorous Cycles.

A 50% reduction of NH3 loss when composting.

http://www.ibi2010.org/wp-content/uploads/BiocharPoultrySteiner.pdf

 

Ag manure char absorbs phosphorus for nutrient credit income, CHP, Biomass Crop & energy grants and when carbon comes to account that is another big credit. The balance of concomitant soil benefits; reduced De-nitrification, soil N20 emissions and a 17% increased water efficiency are documented in trials across soil types & climates. The production of ammonia and char from biomass SynGest, SynGest: BioAmmonia from Biomass and other third generation companies aiming for drop-in fuels, can free agriculture from fossil energy. A leader in this sector, supported by GE, Google & Conoco is CoolPlanet Biofuels CoolPlanetBioFuels | Home

 

The Paleoclimate Record shows agricultural geo-engineering is responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to GHGs, began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel. The unintended consequence has been the flowering of our civilization. Our science has now realized these consequences and has developed a more encompassing wisdom. To fix the consequences of the excess fossil carbon, we must look to: wise land management, Conservation Agriculture, afforestation and the pathways for the thermal conversion of biomass by Pyrolysis, Gasification and Hydro-Thermal Carbonization for returning carbon to soils.

[Fungus]

1. Yes, the soil food web is vastly under studied, and yes particularly a lack of forest work.

2. Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Elaine Engham at Rodale Institute & Paul Stamets and the dozens of university research programs attest to this. Along with Dr. Jim Hansen at NASA, Dr. James Lovelock, Nobel laureates; Al Gore and Dr. Mario Molina, Politicians; Tony Blair, Secretaries Salazar & Vilsack, Environmentalist; Tim Flannery, Bill McKibben, Richard Branson.

3. I am an ornamental gardener, deeply into composting, with interest in renewable energy, I started researching char 5 years ago, networking practitioners and researchers.

 

1. Need I say more ? And why don't you first answer my preceding questions before coming up with new links to "research" articles, I am not going to read and comment on anymore ?

2. A typical example of using a fallacy by "argument from a false authority" according to the basic principles of science methodology to "support" one's "case" by using the names of "pseudo-authorities", who have not contributed to forest ecology, mycology and the natural soil food web at all, by a gardener, who lacks the education to understand what scientific research methodology is about and because of that "jumps" to the "reductive fallacy of oversimplification" and the "fallacy of causal reductionism".

3. And your qualifications for performing scientific research in the field of forest ecology, mycology, tree species specific ecosystems and the soil food web are ? Any publications in scientific journals ?

This is my final statement on the non-sense subject of charcoal, I will no longer react on whatever the commercial biochar industry and its resellers wants us to believe.

[erich]

My only credentials are what I post, and the gardens I've grown, the network of credentialed folks who disagree with your judgement.

 

I at least I thought you would appreciate Dr. Hansen's plan for the biosphere, for the sheer scale of afforestation, .....this is a Tree forum after all.

 

Also... Dr. Molina, ya know his Nobel was for probably the greatest success story of environmental science, the Ozone hole is on the mend.

 

So this simple gardener, landscape designer, avid Google scholar and for the last 6 years passionate about building soil carbon will tomorrow leave for Montreal.

Hopefully the ears of Lisa Jackson, Mr. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada and Peter Kent will not be as hard as yours.

 

The Executive Director of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Commission for Environmental Cooperation

has asked me to speak on biochar with the top three environmental officials of north America.

CEC: 2011 CEC Council session and JPAC Public Forum

 

The CEC is basically a mandated watchdog for environmental consequences of the NAFTA trade agreement. Sharing successes and providing a forum to point out failures in regulations & enforcement commitments under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). In their words to prevent a "race to the bottom" on environmental law enforcement.

I got the #7, of 9 speaker slots, and one of only two Americans, Sheila Davis of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

other topics;

tri-lateral action to protect pollinators in North America.

David Suzuki Foundation; protecting green belts around urban areas and ecological services

The Mario Molina Center; Green Building

tri-lateral grasslands management

I will be speaking on: The Establishment of Soil Carbon as the Universal Measure of Sustainability

 

I'll be glad to post the many papers and links on best practices I've filtered from top schools & government sources...NASA, USGS, USDA........if you stop being so dismissive.

 

Cheers,

Erich J. Knight

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

My only credentials are what I post, and the gardens I've grown, the network of credentialed folks who disagree with your judgement.

 

I at least I thought you would appreciate Dr. Hansen's plan for the biosphere, for the sheer scale of afforestation, .....this is a Tree forum after all.

 

Also... Dr. Molina, ya know his Nobel was for probably the greatest success story of environmental science, the Ozone hole is on the mend.

 

I'll be glad to post the many papers and links on best practices I've filtered from top schools & government sources...NASA, USGS, USDA........if you stop being so dismissive.

 

Cheers,

Erich J. Knight

 

I am listening, dont let the emperor put you off:thumbup:

 

And Gerrit, you dont HAVE to be an academic to know about stuff:001_smile:

 

I believe carbon methods have a place in agriculture, but forests I am not yet convinced, I think forests need to be "natural systems" with undamaged or altered rhizospheres so that the long long times it take for the biodiversity of soil organisms to biuld is not forced to re start with each crop.

 

ancient woodland soils need to be protected, and unaltered IMO