Evaluating the Effect of Biochar on Soil Quality Improvement, While Sequestering Soil Carbon.

Soil erosion is the most widespread form of soil degradation worldwide. Soil erosion can have a severe depletion effect on Soil Organic Carbon pool. As reported soil erosion therefore can have a major impact on the global carbon cycle and must be considered while assessing the global ‘C’ budget in relation to the overall GHG emission into the atmosphere. In addition to the soil organic carbon loss due to soil erosion and soil disturbances, carbon dioxide (CO₂) which is produced by microbial activities will also be emitted into the atmosphere as the soil surface becomes exposed to air due to soil erosion factors. On the other hand, a larger portion of soil carbon can also be stored in the soil via land based management and by implementing carbon ‘Sequestration’ practices thus reducing the effect of carbon dioxide (CO₂) on climate change.

Adoption of practices such as the application of ‘Biochar’ as a soil amendment that not only improves soil quality but it may effectively ‘Sequester’ the carbon in the soil biota thus, reducing the amount of CO₂ coming off the soil upon soil surface disturbances. Toward these goals, we are evaluating the effect of ‘Biochar’ application not only as soil amendment but also for improving the carbon storage capacity of these soils as a soil carbon ‘Sequestration’ technique.

In this presentation we will report the result of the conservation management including the land application of ‘Biochar’ on the dynamics of soil carbon content and the soil storage capacity under different conservation practices on these severely eroded soils of southern Guam. We also report the net carbon loss from the soil under the conventional tillage as compared to the conservation practices (i.e., No-Till) and their effect on soil carbon ‘Sequestration’ for reducing the net CO₂ emission into the atmosphere.