Guest essay by Eric Worrall
University of Stirling researchers have received a £800K grant to study what proportion of carbon captured by soil is from partially burned plants.
NEWS RELEASE 12-MAY-2020
£800k study to look at link between fire and climate changeUNIVERSITY OF STIRLING
University of Stirling experts will lead a new £800,000 study investigating the behaviour of pyrogenic carbon – partly-burned plants left behind following fire – and its potential impact on climate change.
Fires affect more than 500 million hectares of the world’s surface each year – with the majority occurring naturally – and leave residues of pyrogenic carbon (PyC), similar to charcoal.
However, due to the lack of data available, it is not clear what proportion of soil carbon derives from PyC; by which processes PyC is incorporated into the soil; how quickly it returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide; and how these processes may be impacted by climatic conditions.
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Dr Subke, Lead Principal Investigator, said: “It is estimated that pyrogenic carbon contributes between 116 and 379 teragrams of carbon to soils each year – a considerable amount given that the annual net increase of carbon to all of Earth’s ecosystems on land is around 4,300 teragrams. In some fire-prone ecosystems – such as tropical savannahs – deposits from fire can account for as much as half of total carbon stored in soils.
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Read more: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/uos-st050820.php
I confess I never really thought about the difference between soil charcoal from fires and soil carbon from decomposition of forest debris. But Dr. Subke’s point that up to half the carbon sequestered in some soil could be fire residue, and that it is not known about how much fire contributes to soil carbon content, makes you wonder how accurate current models of soil carbon are.
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Biochar resides in the soil for up to 2500 years. Deposits of carbon char (mostly charcoal) from over 2000 years ago (according to archeologists) is still enriching the poor soils of the Amazon in ancient settlement areas. The carbon was apparently applied to the soils for that purpose. It provides a structure for microorganisms to grow upon and it increases water retention by providing lots of surface area. It is largely chemically inactive, though it enhances lots of biological activity.
I suspect carbon residues from natural burns might be a significant carbon sink.
There are biochar enthusiasts that are advocates for sequestering carbon in biochar spread across agricultural lands…to save the world.
This line of research, to burn forests and understand forest fires in a way that can be related to climate change is a vigorous and well funded endeavour worldwide and has been so for a few years.
https://tambonthongchai.com/2019/11/12/climate-change-wildfires/
I guess as some of You already explained that the research is made to see what biocharcoal can do to the ecology as a fertilizer but to get the grant You have to use some magic words like “climate change” and “carbon sink” and “taking care of the carbon dioxide warming the climate”
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More funds should be invested for this important research, these fires should not continue
What is 800K in any money these days with regards to “environmental” studies/projects? The Department of Conservation (DoC) in 2000 or so in New Zealand spent NZ$800k moving 1000 native worms from a road project.
I will do it for 400K and get the result they ‘need’ 😉
£800k study to look at link between fire and climate change. How utterly insane!!!