Bio-char sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems - A review

被引:2161
作者
Lehmann J. [1 ]
Gaunt J. [2 ]
Rondon M. [3 ]
机构
[1] Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca
[2] GY Associates Ltd., Harpenden
[3] Climate Change Program, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Cali
关键词
Black carbon; Carbon sequestration; Charcoal; Emissions trading; Global warming potential; Greenhouse gas emissions; Soils; Terra preta de indio;
D O I
10.1007/s11027-005-9006-5
中图分类号
学科分类号
摘要
The application of bio-char (charcoal or biomass-derived black carbon (C)) to soil is proposed as a novel approach to establish a significant, long-term, sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in terrestrial ecosystems. Apart from positive effects in both reducing emissions and increasing the sequestration of greenhouse gases, the production of bio-char and its application to soil will deliver immediate benefits through improved soil fertility and increased crop production. Conversion of biomass C to bio-char C leads to sequestration of about 50% of the initial C compared to the low amounts retained after burning (3%) and biological decomposition (< 10-20% after 5-10 years), therefore yielding more stable soil C than burning or direct land application of biomass. This efficiency of C conversion of biomass to bio-char is highly dependent on the type of feedstock, but is not significantly affected by the pyrolysis temperature (within 350-500°C common for pyrolysis). Existing slash-and-burn systems cause significant degradation of soil and release of greenhouse gases and opportunies may exist to enhance this system by conversion to slash-and-char systems. Our global analysis revealed that up to 12% of the total anthropogenic C emissions by land use change (0.21 Pg C) can be off-set annually in soil, if slash-and-burn is replaced by slash-and-char. Agricultural and forestry wastes such as forest residues, mill residues, field crop residues, or urban wastes add a conservatively estimated 0.16 Pg C yr-1. Biofuel production using modern biomass can produce a bio-char by-product through pyrolysis which results in 30.6 kg C sequestration for each GJ of energy produced. Using published projections of the use of renewable fuels in the year 2100, bio-char sequestration could amount to 5.5-9.5 Pg C yr-1 if this demand for energy was met through pyrolysis, which would exceed current emissions from fossil fuels (5.4 Pg C yr-1). Bio-char soil management systems can deliver tradable C emissions reduction, and C sequestered is easily accountable, and verifiable. © Springer 2006.
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页码:403 / 427
页数:24
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