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

Mingxin Guo is an assistant professor in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at Delaware State University.

Zhongqi He is a research chemist at the USDA-ARS in Commodity Utilization Research.

Sophie Minori Uchimiya is a research chemist at the USDA-ARS in Commodity Utilization Research.