Management of South Florida Invasive Plants through Biochar Production.

Maintaining and improving the quality and health of soil and environment has long been the focus of research. Biochar, a product derived from carbon-rich organic materials has the potential to fulfilling this goal. Use of biochars can improve soil quality and enhance the natural rates of carbon sequestration. Biochars produced from different biomass and under different production process effects the environmental and agronomic impacts of its application in different ways. This means biochars can be designed to achieve desired goals. Globally invasive species have become a serious problem. An invasive species is defined as a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. In south Florida several plant species have come to dominate and severely alter ecosystems. Production of biochar from certain invasive plants may be incentive to deal with these noxious plants in a profitable way, should biochar application to soil yield promising results. Therefore, advanced understanding of biochars is of utmost importance. The objective of this study is to characterize the potential of biochars produced from different south Florida plant species as a cost effective management strategy which will aid in the improvement of soil and environmental quality.