lehmann edinburgh 2011 - university of...

Biochar Science:Progress and Hurdles to Adoption

Johannes Lehmann

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University

Biochar Interest

Activity in Biochar Science

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Biochar

Charcoal

Biochar+charcoal

extr

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2011: Jan-Apr

CSIRO

NRDC

DEFRA

EU-JRCCAR

Biochar book

Interest in Biochar Science

2010 downloads in the journal “Plant and Soil”

76920091-2321The rhizosphere: a playground and battlefield for soilborne pathogens and beneficial microorganisms

79720091-2321Plant root growth, architecture and function

81520101-2329Release of plant-borne flavonoids into the rhizosphere and their role in plant nutrition

83420101-2326Plant performance in stressful environments: interpreting new and established knowledge of the

roles of arbuscular mycorrhizas

88820101-2327Effects of biochar from slow pyrolysis of papermill waste on agronomic performance and soil fertility

89020091-2321Acquisition of phosphorus and nitrogen in the rhizosphere and plant growth promotion by

microorganisms

92420071-2300Mycorrhizal responses to biochar in soil â concepts and mechanisms

95120091-2320Mycorrhizal associations and other means of nutrition of vascular plants: understanding the global

diversity of host plants by resolving conflicting information and developing reliable

1,00520091-2321Plant-microbe-soil interactions in the rhizosphere: an evolutionary perspective

1,22520032255Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria as biofertilizers

Article Requests Jan to Oct 2010

YearIssueVolumeTitle

76920091-2321The rhizosphere: a playground and battlefield for soilborne pathogens and beneficial microorganisms

79720091-2321Plant root growth, architecture and function

81520101-2329Release of plant-borne flavonoids into the rhizosphere and their role in plant nutrition

83420101-2326Plant performance in stressful environments: interpreting new and established knowledge of the

roles of arbuscular mycorrhizas

88820101-2327Effects of biochar from slow pyrolysis of papermill waste on agronomic performance and soil fertility

89020091-2321Acquisition of phosphorus and nitrogen in the rhizosphere and plant growth promotion by

microorganisms

92420071-2300Mycorrhizal responses to biochar in soil â concepts and mechanisms

95120091-2320Mycorrhizal associations and other means of nutrition of vascular plants: understanding the global

diversity of host plants by resolving conflicting information and developing reliable

1,00520091-2321Plant-microbe-soil interactions in the rhizosphere: an evolutionary perspective

1,22520032255Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria as biofertilizers

Article Requests Jan to Oct 2010

YearIssueVolumeTitle


Most downloaded articles in the journal “Organic Geochemistry”


Most cited in the journal “Organic Geochemistry” published in the last 5 years

Biochar Entry Points

EnergyProduction

SoilImprovement

Mitigation ofClimate Change

Social, Financial Benefits

WasteManagement

Climate Change Mitigation


Baldock and Smernik, 2002, Organic Geochemistry 33, 1093-1109Bruun et al., 2008, Organic Geochemistry 39, 839-845Cheng et al., 2008, Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, G02027Lehmann et al, 2008, Nature Geoscience 1, 832 - 835 Liang et al, 2008, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72, 6096-6078Kuzyakov et al., 2009, Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, 210-219 Major et al., 2009, Global Change Biology 16, 1366-1379

About 1.5 to 2 orders of magnitude greater

than uncharred biomass

Spokas, 2010, Carbon Management 1, 289-303



0 300 600 900

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

Greenhouse gases (kg CO2e t-1

dry feedstock)

LUC & fieldemiss.agrochems

field ops

other

stable C

avoid foss fuelgen. & comb.land-use seq.

reduced soilN2O emiss.avoid compost

La

te

sto

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r

Ea

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ve

rS

witch

gra

ss B

Yard

wa

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Net = - 864

Net = - 793

Net = - 442

Net = + 36

Net = - 885

Sw

itch

gra

ss A

(b)0 300 600 900

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

emit.

reduct.

Greenhouse gases (kg CO2e t-1

dry feedstock)

LUC & fieldemiss.agrochems

field ops

other

stable C

avoid foss fuelgen. & comb.land-use seq.

reduced soilN2O emiss.avoid compost

La

te

sto

ve

r

Ea

rly

sto

ve

rS

witch

gra

ss B

Yard

wa

ste

Net = - 864

Net = - 793

Net = - 442

Net = + 36

Net = - 885

Sw

itch

gra

ss A

(b)

Roberts et al, 2010, Environmental Science and Technology 44, 827–833


C Intensity of Offset Energy

CoalOilGas

Severity

of

Fert

ility

Constr

ain

ts

Biochar production in

place of combustion

is less ideal where

the system’s energy

replaces C-intensive

fuels and where soil

fertility is not a

constraint

Woolf et al, 2010, Nature Communications 1, 56


Research Needs:

� Mature projects

� Long-term trials (?)

� Nitrous oxide, methane (?)

(WB Report Draft)


Woolf et al, 2010, Nature Communications 1, 56

Moving beyond

global mitigation potential


Moving beyond global mitigation potential

Years

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Application

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Application

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Mean Residence Time

Proportion of labile C (MRT of 20 yrs)

Lehmann et al, 2010, Role of Biochar in Mitigationof Climate Change , 343-363, in: Imperial College Press, London

Waste Management

� Contamination with PAH and dioxins (also generated)

� Heavy metal contents and availability

� Pathogens in feedstock (manures)

� Effects on pollutants in soil

Baselines!!!

Bioenergy Production

Bioenergy Production

Research and Development Needs:

� Systems at scale (energy output, emissions,

economics)

� Wider environmental impact (water, air, biodiversity)

Roberts et al, 2010, Environmental Science and Technology 44, 827–833

Syngas energy sensitivity

Energy yield input 50% of

baseline (baseline)

150% of baseline

Net energy (MJ) 1509 4116 6722

% change -63% 0% 63%

Net CO2e (kg) -703 -864 -1025

% change -19% 0% 19%

Soil Improvement

Soil constraints addressed by biochar?

� Soil acidity and Al toxicity

� Low retention of plant-available water

� Low nutrient retention

� High bulk density and low penetrability

� Low infiltration

� Low inoculation by beneficial MOs (AM, BNF)

� High disease pressure

� …and growth promotion

Soil Improvement

Australia

10 t/ha biochar from paper

mill waste+ wood chips

(550°C; pH 9.4; 8.2)

Van Zwieten et al., 2010, Plant and Soil 327:235–246

Soil Improvement

Woody biomass

Grassy biomass

Animal manure/sludge

optimum soil pH

Rajkovich, 2010, Thesis

Soil Improvement

Dairy Manure

Food Waste

Paper Mill Waste

Poultry

Control 100

0.2

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ass

(g

po

t -1

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300ºC

20 20

Corn

Hazelnut

Oak

Pine

Control 100

Waste MaterialsPlant Materials

Corn greenhouse trial

Upstate NY loamy soil

N=2 (mean ±SE)

Biochar application rate (% w/w)

Rajkovich, 2010, Thesis

Soil Improvement

Corn greenhouse trial

Upstate NY loamy soilTotal Na (mg kg-1

)

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000

Bio

mass p

roduction (

g p

ot-1

)

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0.2%

0.5%

2.0%

7.0%

7%, r2=0.61

2%, r2=0.50

0.5%, r2=0.01

0.2%, r2=0.06

Biochar application rate:

Organic Carbon (mg g-1

)

0 10 20 30

Cation

Exchan

ge

Cap

acity (

mm

ol c k

g-1

)

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r2=0.909CEC=2.81C+9.1

r2=0.784CEC=8.60C-18.6

Anthrosols

Adjacent Soils

DS

ACU

LG

HAT

Other Anthrosols

(Sombroek et al., 1993)

Biochar-rich terra preta soils

Biochar-poor soils

Soil Improvement

Cation retention

Liang et al., 2006, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 70: 1719-1730

Soil Improvement

Cation retention2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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1000

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pH

Su

rfa

ce c

harg

e (

mm

ole

kg

C-1

)

New-BCHF

BC30

BC70 QC

NY

BC-HA

New-BCGW

CT

Negative charge

Positive charge

��

>2000

<20 >7

<3

Cheng et al. 2008, Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 72, 1598-1610

130-year-old Biochar

(from pig iron production) in

comparison to biochar made

with traditional kilns

Laird et al, 2010, Geoderma 158, 436-442

Soil Improvement

Typic Hapludoll, IowaHardwood charcoalColumn experiment, n=6

Cheng and Lehmann, 2009, Chemosphere 75, 1021-1027

Soil Improvement

Incubation, n=2

Hydroquinone

(hydrophobic)

Soil Improvement

Nitrogen Use Efficiency?

Chan et al., 2007 AJSR 45, 629-634

Soil Improvement

Biochar application in 2007

Corn stover biochar (550°C)

Nitrogen study in 2009

N-15 labeled ammonium

Three replicatesBiochar application rate (t ha

-1)

Year

Secondary N

fertilizer (% of

recommended

fertilizer

application)

0 12

2007 50 55.7 46.6

100 68.7 58.7

2008 50 78.3 80.4

100 116.2 116.3

2009 50 72.9 69.6

100 112.3 121.6

Corn N uptake (kg ha-1)

Guerena, unpubl. data

Soil Improvement

Nitrogen Retention

Nitrogen Derived From Fertilizer (kg total N ha-1

)

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Biochar 0 (t/ha)

Biochar 12 (t/ha)

Guerena, unpubl. data

*

*

Soil Improvement

Moving beyond average responses

treatm

en

ts

Verheijen et al, 2010, EU-JRC Report

Soil Improvement

Research Needs:

� Functional relationship between biochar properties

and crop response

� Improvement of properties during pyrolysis (CEC,

surface area, pore sizes)

� Long-term field research

Complexity comparable to compost, manure or

fertilizer management!

Integrating Knowledge

Development Needs for Biochar Projects

Decision support tools for:

� Life-cycle emission reductions and energy budgets

� Functional relationship production vs properties

(that matter!)

� Business models

� Soil application

� Ethical discussion and social acceptability

lehmann edinburgh 2011 - university of...

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