Evaluation of Biochar Applications in 10 Illinois Soils

Transcription

1 Evaluation of Biochar Applications in 10 Illinois Soils Nancy Holm 1 and Kurt Spokas 2 1 Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 2 U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, St. Paul, MN

2 2013 University of Illinois Board of Trustees. All rights reserved. For permission information, contact the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.

3 Introduction Why? Examine chemical, biological, and physical properties of range of Illinois soils when mixed with biochar Measure seed germination, plant growth, and GHG emissions Evaluate microbial community changes Produce a guideline for biochar use in Illinois Project Plan Germination/Growth Study Incubation Study for GHG Emissions Microbial Communities 20 µm SEM of hardwood biochar

4 Biochar Slow pyrolysis 450 C Wood pellets (hardwood) Miscanthus pellets Cornstover pellets Gasification Cornstover pellets Burnt Cornstover Unmodified Ground cornstover

5 Biochar SEM 20 µm 20 µm 20 µm Ground Cornstover Burnt Cornstover Gasified Cornstover Pyrolyzed Cornstover 20 µm 20 µm Pyrolyzed Miscanthus 20 µm Pyrolyzed Hardwood

6 Soil Characterization Soil Soil Type Location Alvin Loamy Sand Northern IL Bluford A Silt Loam Jasper Co. Cisne A Silt Loam Jasper Co. Cisne E Silt Loam Jasper Co. Drummer Silt Loam Champaign Co. Fayette Silt Loam Sangamon Co. Huey Silt Loam Jasper Co. Ipava Silt Loam Christian Co. Oakville Sand Northern IL Osco Silt Loam Christian Co. Swygert Clay Loam Northern IL

7 Germination/Growth Study Methods Control 0% biochar 1% biochar (w/w) 5% biochar (w/w) 143 unique samples x 3 replicates = 429 samples

8 Germination/Growth Study Methods Greenhouse: C Recorded germination time Growth period: 14 days after germination Analyzed C:N ratio Soil/biochar characteristics Measured height at harvest (day 14 of growth) dry biomass

9 Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Biochar/Soil samples were sent to A & L laboratories for analysis. Characteristics measured include: ph Total P, K, Mg, Ca Percent organic matter Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

10 meq/100g Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Average CEC for Four Soils After Planting 30 Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer soil additive

11 meq/100g Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Average CEC for Four Soils After Planting 30 Cisne-E Fayette Huey Ipava soil additive

12 meq/100g Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Average CEC for Three Soils After Planting 30 Oakville Osco Swygert soil additive

13 ph Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Average ph for Four Soils After Planting Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer soil additive

14 Germination/Growth Study Initial Results After 14 days grown in: Soil type: Silt loam Organic Mater = 2.4% Biochar: 5% burned cornstover After 14 days grown in: Soil type: Silt loam Organic Mater = 3.2% Biochar: 1% pyrolyzed Miscanthus

15 Total PAH, mg/kg Germination/Growth Study Biochar/Soil Characterization Total PAH Corn Stover Biochar 1.4 Corn Stover Biochar 2* Gasification Corn Stover Biochar 1.6 Miscanthus Biochar 0.50 Wood Pellet Biochar Corn Stover Burnt Biochar Type * - Result from Machesky, Holm, and Scott, "Sorption of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) to Biochar and Estimates of PAH Bioavailability"

16 Control - Alvin 1% - Alvin 5% - Alvin Control - Bluford 1% - Bluford 5% - Bluford Control - Cisne A 1% - Cisne A 5% - Cisne A Control - Cisne E 1% - Cisne E 5% - Cisne E Control - Drummer 1% - Drummer 5% - Drummer Control - Fayette 1% - Fayette 5% - Fayette Control - Huey 1% - Huey 5% - Huey Control - Ipava 1% - Ipava 5% - Ipava Control - Oakville 1% - Oakville 5% - Oakville Control - Osco 1% - Osco 5% - Osco Control -Swygert 1% - Swygert 5% - Swygert inches Germination/Growth Study Initial Results Control vs. Burned Cornstover Plant Height After 14 Days Growth biochar percent - soil

17 Greenhouse Gas Study Methods Biochar/soil incubations were conducted to assess the production or consumption of greenhouse gases including: CO 2 N 2 O CH 4

18 Greenhouse Gas Study Methods Samples taken every other day for 3 weeks After 3 weeks once per week Vented samples based on percent O 2 Sampled with 10 ml syringe and 25 G 1 in. Needles Gas samples were injected into helium purged sample vials

19 µg C-CO 2 /g soil/day Greenhouse Gas Study Initial Results CO 2 Production in Four Soils Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer Treatment

20 µg C-CO 2 /g soil/day Greenhouse Gas Study Initial Results CO 2 Production in Four Soils Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer Treatment

21 µg C-CO 2 /g soil/day Greenhouse Gas Study Impact of pyrolysis on corn stover mineralization CO 2 Production in Four Soils Drummer 97% reduction in mineralization rate Treatment

22 ng C-CH 4 /g soil/day Greenhouse Gas Study Initial Results CH 4 Production in Four Soils Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer soil additive

23 ng N-N 2 O/g soil/day Greenhouse Gas Study Initial Results N 2 O Production in Four Soils 1.10 Alvin Bluford Cisne-A Drummer soil additive

24 Examining Alvin Soil N 2 O Results (5%) N 2 O Production Nitrate Extraction (final)

25 Nitrate CH4 CEC Ammonium Ca K P Mg ph N2O CO2 OM H_MEQ Nitrate CH4 CEC Ammonium Ca K P Mg ph N2O CO2 OM H_MEQ Alvin : Statistical Correlations

26 Microbial Study Methods

27 Conclusions Contrary to our initial hypothesis, we did not observe statistically significant increases in the CEC of biochar-amended soils at the 1% level and for most biochars this was true also at the 5% level. The conversion of corn stover into biochar by slow pyrolysis, gasification, and open burning: Reduced the mineralization rate of the corn stover, which was observed in reduced CO 2 production compared to the untreated corn stover (>90% reduction in mineralization rate for 40 days). Reduced the amount of N 2 O production compared to the original biomass. Overall, biochar additions did not have a significant impact on CH 4 oxidation activity. In fact, the largest stimulation, across the four soils analyzed to date, was observed with the untreated 1% corn stover addition.

28 Acknowledgements Project funded by the Russell and Helen Dilworth Memorial Fund at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign BK Sharma ISTC Elizabeth Luber - ISTC Lacey Walsh Illinois State University Ron Collman and others National Resources Conservation Service for soil collection Gary Letterly UI Extension for corn stover and Miscanthus samples John Kelly and students Loyola University for DNA extraction and microbial data analysis Dheeptha Murali and others ISTC for assistance with analysis Martin du Saire USDA-ARS (St. Paul) Vang Yang University of Minnesota for GHG analyses Rena Weis University of Minnesota for GHG analyses

29 Questions? Nancy Holm Kurt Spokas