Get this: you can generate lignite (low-grade coal) in your garden?? Fast! IF you get the composting setup right.
The first half of the video is very detailed, nuts & bolts of soil and chemistry. The actual images of the site and how they did it starts at about 50min.
Soil science is the study of some of the most complex systems imaginable, and sadly still badly neglected-- especially considering how crucial it is to the foundations of our biosphere and survival. Much of this presentation is over my head, and it's tough for me to wade through all the "um, uh, uh"ing, but... wow!
I'll try to summarize:
There's a distinctive layer of black stuff under the soil of the Amazon, and people tend to assume it was built up from fires in years past (biochar is becoming a popular analogue), but researcher Scott Goode says it's created through much the same process that forms coal under peat bogs. That can take millions of years, but under the right conditions it can happen MUCH faster-- and all driven by biological action.
The idea here is you're trying to mimic the layers of soil activity under an old-growth forest, inside a trench 2' deep and 1.5' wide that's anaerobic at the bottom. Doing this in your own yard, Goode calls a "Climate Victory Garden". The trenches bracket your growbeds, and you don't stir or turn them-- you just have to keep filling them from the top, and once it gets going it's got quite an appetite.
Important note: while healthy soils can hold large amounts of carbon (80% of a forest's carbon is underground, only 20% is in the vegetation you can actually see), that carbon only stays put while the web of organisms using it stays healthy. Lignite on the other hand is a mineral that pretty much isn't going anywhere unless it catches on fire. This project demonstrates how to get BOTH the living system AND build long-term carbon storage at the same time.
One bit I really appreciate, about 1h16min in he is asked, "So what about the carbon market, what are they paying for?"
His reply starts with: "Really similar to the biofuels market, it's essentially a scam!"
I am seeking a graduate research assistant interested in pursuing a #PhD or #MS in Agronomy with a focus in Soil Science. We will be exploring the presence of field indicators of hydric soils in interdunal wetlands in central Kansas, and investigating the expression of redox features as a function of time-since-exposure to oxygen in soils across the North Central region of the US. The prospective student will sample, describe, and characterize soils and use the Hydric Soil Technical Standard to document the presence of field indicators of hydric soils, hydrophytic plants, and wetland hydrology. More details are in the attached JPG of the position description.
Research offers a reason why diversity in plant species causes higher farming yield, solving ‘a bit of a mystery’
A study shows how a boost in agricultural yield comes from planting diverse crops rather than just one plant species: Soil pathogens harmful to plants have a harder time thriving.
'A Northwestern University-led team of researchers has developed a new fuel cell that harvests energy from microbes living in dirt.... the researchers used it to power sensors measuring soil moisture and detecting touch, a capability that could be valuable for tracking passing animals.... Not only did the fuel cell work in both wet and dry conditions, but its power also outlasted similar technologies by 120%.'
'A team of Rice scientists led by chemist James Tour and researchers from the geotechnical structures and environmental engineering branches of the ERDC showed that mixing polluted soil with nontoxic, carbon-rich compounds that propel electrical current, such as biochar, then zapping the mix with short bursts of electricity flushes out both organic pollutants and heavy metals without using water or generating waste.'
Reading about soils is always a short-cut to anxiety. "If we extrapolate the current erosion rate of about 12 million metric tonnes per year over the next 40 years to the point when the population will reach 9 billion, only 20% of the arable land needed for adequate nutrition will be available."
I discovered these lovely little soil-based watercolors by The Art of Soil last week—I love the story behind them, and a soil scientist making soil paints is the epitome of #SciArt is it not?? 😍 Looking forward to trying them out, will report back!