Black carbon is a significant component of the organic matter fraction in soils and sediments. This symposium will bring humic chemists, geologists, geochemists, soil scientists, and environmental scientists together to report on the latest developments in black carbon research. Topics of interest include the chemical and physical properties, bioavailability, degradation, abundance, and stability of black carbon in soils or sediments; physical, chemical, and spectroscopic methods for distinguishing black carbon and biogenic humic materials; the impact of bio-char amendments on greenhouse gas emissions, soil/sediment properties, nutrient cycling, and agricultural productivity.