Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar

Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar: Advances and Barriers: Over the past decade, biochar has been intensively studied by agricultural and environmental scientists and applied as a soil quality enhancer and environmental ameliorator in various trials worldwide. This book, with 21 chapters by 57 accomplished international researchers, reports on the recent advances of biochar research and the global status of biochar application. Scientific findings, uncertainties, and barriers to practice of biochar amendment for sustaining soil fertility, improving crop production, promoting animal performance, remediating water and land, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions are synthesized. The book presents a whole picture of biochar in its production, characterization, application, and development. Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar: Advances and Barrier highlights the mechanisms and processes of biochar amendment for achieving stunning agricultural and environmental benefits. Composition and characteristics of biochar, its interactions with contaminants and soil constituents, and its transformation in the environment are illustrated to enlighten the achievements of biochar amendment in improving soil physical, chemical, and biological quality and animal health, reducing soil greenhouse gas emissions, and decontaminating stormwater and mine sites. Additional emphasis is given to the pyrogenic carbon in Terra Preta soils and Japanese Andosols, the pyrolysis technology for converting agricultural byproducts to biochar, and the existing economic and technical barriers to wide application of biochar in Australia, China, New Zealand, North America, and Europe. Readers will appreciate the comprehensive review on the up-to-date biochar research and application and gain critical guidance in best biochar generation and utilization.

Foreword vii Preface ix Contributors xi Introduction to Biochar as an Agricultural and Environmental Amendment Mingxin Guo, Zhongqi He, and Sophie Minori Uchimiya 1 Pyrogenic Carbon in Terra Preta Soils Mingxin Guo 15 Pyrogenic Organic Matter in Japanese Andosols: Occurrence, Transformation, and Function Haruo Shindo and Syusaku Nishimura 29 Production and Characterization of Biochar from Agricultural By-Products: Overview and Use of Cotton Biomass Residues Zhongqi He, Sophie Minori Uchimiya, and Mingxin Guo 63 Considerations in Biochar Characterization Christoph Steiner 87 Application of Biochar for Soil Physical Improvement Mingxin Guo 101 The Effects of Biochar Amendment on Soil Fertility Avanthi Deshani Igalavithana, Yong Sik Ok, Adel R.A. Usman, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel, Patryk Oleszczuk, and Sang Soo Lee 123 Application of Biochar for Soil Biological Improvement J. Paz-Ferreiro, A. Méndez, and G. Gascó 145 Biochar and Soil Carbon Sequestration Rattan Lal 175 Use and Impact of Biochar and Charcoal in Animal Production Systems John D. Toth and Zhengxia Dou 199 Interaction Mechanisms between Biochar and Organic Pollutants Xin Xiao and Baoliang Chen 225 Impacts of Biochar Amendment on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agricultural Soils Sanna Saarnio 259 Application of Biochar for Soil Remediation Tom Sizmur, Richard Quilliam, Aline Peregrina Puga, Eduardo Moreno-Jiménez, Luke Beesley, and Jose L. Gomez-Eyles 295 Biochar Application for Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Christopher D. Peltz and Andrew Harley 325 Aqueous Contaminant Removal and Stormwater Treatment Using Biochar Thomas R. Miles, Erin M. Rasmussen, and Myles Gray 341 Research and Application of Biochar in China Xiaokai Zhang, Yu Luo, Karin Müller, Junhui Chen, Qimei Lin, Jianming Xu, Yishui Tian, Hongbin Cong, and Hailong Wang 377 Research and Application of Biochar in Europe Pellegrino Conte, Hans-Peter Schmidt, and Giulia Cimò 409 Research and Application of Biochar in New Zealand Marta Camps Arbestain, James R. Jones, Leo M. Condron, and Timothy J. Clough 423 Regional Considerations for Targeted Use of Biochar in Agriculture and Remediation in Australia Lynne M. Macdonald, Rai S. Kookana, Lukas van Zwieten, Bhupinder P. Singh, Balwant Singh, and Mark Farrell 445 Research and Application of Biochar in North America Wei Zheng, Nancy Holm, and Kurt A. Spokas 475 Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar: Advances and Barriers Mingxin Guo, Sophie Minori Uchimiya, and Zhongqi He 495