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Project |
Effect of bio-char on soil nutrient dynamics, GHG emissions and plant growth |
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Supervisors |
Research Specialist Henrik Haugaard Nielsen, Risø National Laboratory, DTU
Research Specialist Per Ambus, Risø National Laboratory, DTU |
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University |
Copenhagen University, Faculty of Life Sciences |
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Work place |
Technical University of Denmark, Risø National Laboratory
Biosystems Department
Building BIO-301
P.O. Boks 49
4000 Roskilde |
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E-mail / phone |
E-mail: / Ph: (+45) 4677 4120 / Web-site |
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Aim |
The stated objectives for this PhD is to characterise the biochar characteristics in terms of environmental properties e.g. nutrients composition, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), pore size distribution and biodegradability and determine the short-term effects and mechanism related to biochar amendments on soil fertility, nutrient dynamics and plant growth and quality. |
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Background |
This PhD project is dealing with a new research field - the ‘biochar-technology’, which potentially can mitigate climate change by locking up carbon in the soil. The term 'biochar' (black carbon, charcoal) refers to black carbon formed by the pyrolysis of biomass – a process where biomass is heated up in an oxygen-free or low oxygen environment such that it does not (or only partially) combusts. In the pyrolysis process biooil and syngas are produced along with biochar - all three of them potentially valuable products: The bio-oil can be used as fuel in for example power plants, the syngas as energy an input to the pyrolyzer unit and the biochar as a soil additive. By converting biomass-residues to a carbon-rich and recalcitrant biochar and adding this to the soil, the biochar-C will stay long-term in the soil instead of decomposing to CO2.
In addition to this biochar seems a sustainable and very beneficial soil additive. Biochar incorporation in soil is proposed a mean to compensate for reduced direct biomass incorporation, by potentially building up the soil C-stock as well as improve soil properties and crop yields (Lehmann et al 2006). A number of recent studies have shown greater crop yields on soils with biochar additions compared to soils without biochar (Oguntunda et al 2004, Glaser et al 2002). Biochar is hypothesized to improve soil fertility, partly due to its adsorbent characteristics, preventing cations from leaching and at least in some cases improving the water holding capacity (Woolf 2008). |
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Status |
Status reports |
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Time table |
Start: 1.03.2008
End: 28.02.2011 |