- The document evaluates the benefits of biochar on soil quality and its effects on soil carbon sequestration as a pathway to sustainability. It discusses how tillage reduces soil carbon and biochar can increase carbon storage. Experiments were conducted on volcanic soils in Guam comparing no-tillage, reduced tillage, conventional tillage, and conventional tillage with biochar application. Results showed biochar can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase crop yields compared to other tillage methods. Further research on using biochar and other conservation practices can help sequester carbon and mitigate climate change.

1. Evaluating the benefits of ‘Biochar’ on soil quality
while determining its effect on ‘Soil Carbon
Sequestration – A pathway to Sustainability
Mohammad H. Golabi, Ph.D.
Soil and Environmental Scientist
COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES
University of GuamUniversity of Guam
Presented at the:Presented at the:
72nd
Annual SWCS, Madison, Wisconsin
July 30th
- August 2nd
, 2017

2. Climate Change Indicators (cont‘d)
• The average temperature in the United States has risen more
than two degrees Fahrenheit in the past 50 years.
• Increasing temperatures are having wide-ranging effects on
forests and grasslands, including stream flow, precipitation
patterns, snowpack, insects, and invasive plant species, and
influencing drought, heat waves, and wildfire.
• These are just a few examples of the observed effects of
climate change around the United States, and most effects are
expected to continue and intensify during this century
Climate Change Resource Center
USDA-Forest services

3. Is it Real?!
• The climate is certainly changing as the
result of increased temperature. And, it
will continue to change therefore, we need
to work with a plausible range of future
climates behavior that incorporates the
variety of GHG emissions through various
pathways.
Climate Change Resource
Center USDA-Forest services

4. SOME OF GASES
RESPONSIBLE FOR
GREENHOUSE
EFFECT:
Carbon dioxide
Nitrous oxide
Methane gas
Water vapor
And others, ….
Climate Change Resource Center
USDA-Forest services

5. Which one of these gases is to be blamed for the
Climate Change?
a. Carbon dioxide (CO2) generated from the
fossil fuel burning?
b. Methane from the Cows?
c. Rice paddies in Asia?
1. nitrous oxide (N2O)
2. methane (CH4)
a. Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ‘Soil’
b. All of the above?
c. None of the above?

6. The carbon factor
• Carbon is found in the soilsoil both in organic and
inorganic forms.
• In terrestrial ecosystem, ‘the soil’‘the soil’ represents
the major reservoir of organic carbon.
• At the global level, the soil organic matter
(SOM) pool (estimated to 1 meter depth)
contains about 1580 Pg of carbon (Pg = 1015
g)
Werner L. Michael et.al., 2009

7. The carbon factor (cont’d)
• Most of the soil organic carbon is in a continuous
dynamic state of accumulation as well as
decomposition.
• There is a continuous exchange of carbon
between the soil and the atmosphere, mostly as
carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).
• Consequently, any net carbon loss from the soil
means increase of the CO2and/or CH4
concentration in the atmosphere.

8. The carbon factor (cont’d)
• This cycling of carbon between the soil and the
atmosphere (CO2 and CH4) amounts to 80Pg,
roughly 10 times10 times the annual flux of CO2 from all
the fossil fuel combustion combined and it is
increasingly influenced by land use and land
degradation activities
• Crucially soil disturbances (e.g., cultivation and
intensive agriculture) leads to significant soil
carbon losses of 50Pg carbon or more.
Climate Change Resource Center
USDA-Forest services

9. No. 1, Environmental Enemy in
Production Agriculture is:
Intensive Tillage
D.C. Reicosky

12. The carbon factor (cont’d)
• Conversely, Best Management Practices (BMP)
on the land-use can offer an opportunity for
sequestering (storing) atmospheric carbon in
the soil itself.
• The Soils Carbon hold a key role in reducing
atmospheric CO2 and CH4 levels and their
management is subject to; scientific as well as
political, and social analysis.
Werner L. Michael et.al., 2009

13. C
Soil organic matter is a mixture of residual of
plant material in various stages of decomposition
and microbial biomass and all their bi-products
and so:
The “key” component is :
Source: D.C. Reicosky
And Soil is the biggest source of Carbon →

14. Facts about Carbon (cont’d):
• On the other hand the more carbon (C) that
stays in the soil, the less CO2 will be emitted
into the atmosphere.
Therefore;
• Conservation Agriculture, especially no-tillage
(NT) farming, not only will control erosion, but
it will also have the added benefit of restoring
SoilSoil organic CarbonCarbon, thus keeping the
atmospheric CO2 emission down to minimum.

15. Tillage Type
MP SS MK YK RM NT
0
40
80
120
160
MP SS MK YK RM NT
Cum.CO2
Loss(gCO2
m
-2
)
0
20
40
60
80
5 hours after tillage 24 hours after tillage
59.8
31.7
11.5
4.7 3.4
1.4
159.7
66.2
26.7
19.4
15.4
7.2
D.C. Reicosky

16. When we till/plow, we lose tonesWhen we till/plow, we lose tones
ofof carboncarbon in two ways:in two ways:
• Oxidation of Carbon
C + O2 = CO2
• Microbial activities:
generates huge amount of carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4) and other gases (N2O) which can be
released into the atmosphere by extensive tilling.

17. Sink vs. Source Issues
 Sources of CO2:
 Fusil fuel burning, etc.
 soil organic carbon
 Methane gases
 Nitrous oxide
 etc.
Sinks:
Plants
Trees
Ocean
etc.

18. Atmospheric Carbon as CO2
Plant biomass and roots
left on-or-in the soil
contribute to Soil Carbon
or Soil Organic matter
and with all the
associated environmental
and production benefits.
Energy from
bio-ecosystem
CO2 CO2
Biological carbon cycle.Fossil carbon cycle.
CO2
CEnergy from
fossil fuels
RenewableNonrenewable
Source: D.C. Reicosky
Plant
s act
as
CO2
sinks
↓↓↓↓
↓↓↓↓

19. On the Other Hand;
• We have increased the SOURCES of CO2
emission↑ and reduced the SINKS↓ for the
CO2 Uptake
• Consequently:!
• (Next slide)

20. Sources: Azhar Uddin, University of Okayama

21. What to do?
• As soil scientist /environmentalists,
Agriculturists, what can we do to reduce the
CO2 emission into the atmosphere?

22. Case StudyCase Study
Multi-State ProjectMulti-State Project
 Evaluate the effect ofEvaluate the effect of conservation tillageconservation tillage onon
carbon storage capacity on these soilscarbon storage capacity on these soils””:▼:▼
““Oxide rich, highly weathered acid soils (very fine,Oxide rich, highly weathered acid soils (very fine,
kaolinitic, isohypothermic oxic Haplustalf) derivedkaolinitic, isohypothermic oxic Haplustalf) derived
from the volcanic deposit”.from the volcanic deposit”.
 Evaluate the effect of land application ofEvaluate the effect of land application of
‘‘BiocharBiochar’ on carbon dynamics and CO’ on carbon dynamics and CO22
emission into the atmosphere.emission into the atmosphere.

23. A typical volcanic (Haplustalf)Haplustalf) upland soils (badland)
in southern Guam

24. Challenges facing Guam’s agricultural workers
and soil scientists
 Soil and agricultural scientists must develop
strategies to not only control erosion on the
farms, rangelands and the watershed areas
but also sequester (store) carbon.
 New techniques must be introduced for soil
conservation and natural resources protection
both in the farm, rangelands as well as on the
watershed areas in the southern mountains.

25. •Treatments:
- No-Tillage (NT)
- Reduced Tillage (RT)
- Conventional Tillage (control)
- Conventional Tillage with ‘biochar’ (CT/BC)
Conservation Tillage Project in Ija
(Southern Guam)

26. Aerial view of Ija Experiment Station:
Carbon sequestration research plot on bottom right

27. • Carbon Sequestration by land
application of
•
• ‘Biochar’
• Or
• Black Carbon

30. Effect of biochar on soil carbon dioxide

31. Effect of ‘biochar’ on the crop yield
NT= no-tillage
RT= reduced tillage
CT=conventional tillage
CT/BC= conventional tillage with ‘biochar’ application

32. Using Pot Study to Evaluate the Effect of
‘biochar’
on carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emission

33. Carbon dioxide measurement using Pot study

34. What else can we do to:What else can we do to:
Conserve soilConserve soil, and, and SequesterSequester CarbonCarbon??
- Maintain Surface Cover- Maintain Surface Cover
-- Plant more treesPlant more trees (Sinks)(Sinks)
- Stop Burning (preserve forests)- Stop Burning (preserve forests)
- Farming with BMP’s- Farming with BMP’s
- Enhance SOM content (using- Enhance SOM content (using biocharbiochar))
- Use of- Use of Vetiver TechnologyVetiver Technology toto controlcontrol
erosionerosion andand sequestersequester carbon.carbon. Why/How?Why/How?

35. References and sources sited:
• Climate Change Resource Center, USDA-Forest
services. URL (2016).
• Werner L. Michael et.al., 2009
• D.C. Reicosky, personal communication
• Rattan Lal, 27 Jan., 2000
• Jim Kinsella, 1998

36. References (cont’d)
• Azhar Uddin, 2015. Univ. of Okayama
• (Rodeghiero, et.al., 2009)
• (Rodeghiero, et.al., 2009
Acknowledgement:
• USDA, NIFA for awarding the grant
• and for supporting this study.

37. Thank YouThank You
Si yuus MaaseSi yuus Maase

38. Questions?