Earth Sciences Commons^™

A High-Resolution Paleoenvironmental And Paleoclimatic History Of Extreme Events On The Laminated Sediment Record From Basin Pond, Fayette, Maine, U.S.A., Daniel R. Miller

Masters Theses

Future impacts from climate change can be better understood by placing modern climate trends into perspective through extension of the short instrumental records of climate variability. This is especially true for extreme climatic events, such as extreme precipitation and wildfires, as the period of instrumental records provides only a few examples and these have likely have been influenced by anthropogenic warming. Multi-parameter records showing the past range of climate variability can be obtained from lakes. Lakes are particularly good recorders of climate variability because sediment from the surrounding environment accumulates in lakes, making them sensitive recorders of climate variability and …

Assessing Kiln-Produced Hardwood Biochar For Improving Soil Health In A Temperate Climate Agricultural Soil, Emily J. Cole

Doctoral Dissertations

Soil quality has become a major factor used in assessing sustainable land management and the overall environmental quality, food security, and economic viability of agricultural lands. Recently, biochar has been touted as having many potential uses as a soil amendment for improving soil quality, specifically improving cation exchange capacity, pH and nutrient availability. However, soil biology also plays a significant role in biogeochemical processes that influence soil health and should be included in a more comprehensive study of soil health. This dissertation describes 4 projects within the same 3-year field study with the cumulative purpose of better understanding the effect …

Wrap Up & Where To From Here, Kathleen Draper, Hugh Mclaughlin, Erich J. Knight Mr., Amanda Ravenhill

USBI Biochar Conferences

Symposium Track Chairs will provide high level summaries of the information covered in each of the tracks: Feedstock & Production; Benefits & Uses; Policy & Community and Sales, Scale & Marketing.

To conclude the symposium and leverage all of the great new ideas and information in everyone's minds, we will capture key take aways as a community and then invite suggestions and discussion about next steps in the biochar movement.

Manure Management & Biochar, Matthew W. Smith, John Miedema, Mike Mcgolden

USBI Biochar Conferences

Co-location synergies: Biomethane & Biochar Production: John Medeima, BioLogical Carbon

Biochar Filters Impact on Anaerobic Digestion: Matthew Smith, WSU

http://youtu.be/RILS6wS3qWk

The Benefits of a Manure-based Biochar: Mike McGolden

http://youtu.be/t1hVgolalRI

Biochar has been in existence for thousands of years. However, it has only been in the past decade that there has been a resurgence in the thirst for knowledge about biochar and research into how it is made and its impact on the environment.

This resurgence has brought about a tremendous amount of research and a rapid growth in education among the general population about biochar – especially in the past …

Wednesday Morning Plenary, Doris Hamill, Tom Miles

USBI Biochar Conferences

Tom Miles will kick off the "Where to From Here" conversation that is critical to understanding next steps for the biochar industry in North America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCIu8QEQUkk

Doris Hamill will describe the K-12 biochar educational package she and her team launched at NASA, where it has taken off and where it may land. She will also share details about her project for using biochar in the redevelopment project on the Hampton Roads campus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx_7w1-bJ8A

Biochar Community Development, Ronal G. Larson, Jim Long, Scott Graves

USBI Biochar Conferences

Growing a Biochar Learning Network in a Rural Community: Jim Long

The presentation will review what we are learning about the effectiveness of our several-year, voluntary journey to introduce biochar to residents using a variety of techniques including:

• Orientations with members of our Umpqua Bio-Alternatives Cooperative and its Biochar Study Group;
• Articles published in newsletters and on web pages produced by related groups;
• Exhibits at farmers' markets, county weed days, and Earth Day;
• Live demonstrations with farmers, community gardeners, Grange members, school students, and Job Corps youth;
• Exhibits, demonstrations, and discussions during our annual fall Biochar Exposition with members of …

Pre-Soil Techniques, Nigel Gale, Dale Hendricks, Doug Clayton

USBI Biochar Conferences

Rescuing biochar: Pre - application techniques to enhance plant responses to biochar additions: Nigel Gale, U of Toronto

A growing body of literature indicates variable responses of different plant species to biochar, including positive, neutral, and negative, suggesting that it is important to investigate the nature and mechanism of species-specific responses to biochar additions. Neutral or negative plant responses to additions of biochars have commonly been reported in prior studies, and are likely the result of a combination of changes in soil properties (e.g. pH, surface area, and nutrient and water retention) and the production of volatile organic compounds from …

Labeling Biochar Products, Kelpie Wilson, David Yarrow, Renel Anderson

USBI Biochar Conferences

Making Claims for Biochar: Kelpie Wilson

Cool Foods: David Yarrow, KAW Valley Biochar

OMRI Certification: Renel Anderson, Black Owl Biochar

Novel Uses Of Biochar, Hans-Peter Schmidt

USBI Biochar Conferences

Cascading Uses of Biochar - Hans-Peter Schmidt, Ithaka Institute

In addition to the use of biochar as a soil amendment, there are an increasing number of ways to incorporate biochar into different eco- and industrial systems. Thus feeding biochar to livestock has numerous benefits not only for the animals, but it also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improves nutrient retention in animal manure. The use of biochar in building materials is just beginning to be studied but shows promise in the ability to insulate, decontaminate air, provide odor and humidity control. Biochar as pillow filling to induce perfectly reposing …

Ethics & Sustainability, Gloria Flora, John Bonitz, Karen Ribeiro

USBI Biochar Conferences

Biochar and the Sustainability Imperative. Now marks a critical time: as biochar comes of age and markets begin to develop, this young industry is attracting naysayers, doubters and get-rich-quick-schemers. Ethical biochar production and use is of paramount importance as we continue to lay the groundwork for biochar as a model for carbon neutral/negative business, landscape restoration and truly green technology. Shortcuts, poor quality product and unsustainable use of biomass could bring biochar to its knees before it gains the traction necessary to fulfill its promises. This discussion will explore opportunities and pitfalls in feedstocks sustainability, production integrity and ethics in …

Remediation/Pollution Control, Makoto Ogawa, Seok-Young Oh, Josh Kearns

USBI Biochar Conferences

Sorptive Treatment of Metals and Nitro Explosives in Water Using Biochar -

Seok-Young Oh^1*,

Biochar, a solid byproduct of a pyrolysis process was investigated as a sorbent to remove toxic metals and nitro explosives from natural water and wastewater. It was hypothesized that biochar can sorb dissolved metals and nitro explosives due to its high surface area and strong sorption affinity of aromatic organic compounds. Using a tube furnace under N₂, various types biochar were synthesized by changing biomass (poultry litter, sludge, fallen leaves, corn stalk, rice straw, and coffee grounds) and temperature (250, 400, …

Farmer Workshop, Rachel Hestrin, David Yarrow, Christian Pulver, Thea Whitman

USBI Biochar Conferences

Sunday afternoon October 13, 2013 from 1:00 to 4pm, at the New England Small Farm Institute in Belchertown MA (275 Jackson Street)

Join fellow farmers and gardeners in an interactive, educational, and highly stimulating presentation/workshop about what biochar is (and is not) along with details about how and why biochar can help you achieve your growing goals. Learn about the many benefits of soil conditioning with biochar, application techniques and amounts, carbon stability, and other practical advice. Rachel Hestrin from Cornell University will deliver a hands on technical presentation and field expert David Yarrow will review his extensive SARE grant …

Ecohydrologic Impacts Of Climate And Land Use Changes On Watershed Systems: A Multi-Scale Assessment For Policy, Paul A. Ekness

Open Access Dissertations

Maintaining flows and quality of water resources is critical to support ecosystem services and consumptive needs. Understanding impacts of changes in climate and land use on ecohydrologic processes in a watershed is vital to sustaining water resources for multiple uses. This study completes a continental and regional scale assessment using statistical and simulation modeling to investigate ecohydrologic impacts within watershed systems.

Watersheds across the continental United States have diverse hydrogeomorphic characters, mean temperatures, soil moistures, precipitation and evaporation patterns that influence runoff processes. Changes in climate affect runoff by impacting available soil moisture, evaporation, precipitation and vegetative patterns. A one …

Uncertainty In Climatic Change Impacts On Multiscale Watershed Systems, Olga V. Tsvetkova

Open Access Dissertations

Uncertainty in climate change plays a major role in watershed systems. The increase in variability and intensity in temperature and precipitation affects hydrologic cycle in spatial and temporal dimensions. Predicting uncertainty in climate change impacts on watershed systems can help to understand future climate-induced risk on watershed systems and is essential for designing policies for mitigation and adaptation. Modeling the temporal patterns of uncertainties is assessed in the New England region for temperature and precipitation patterns over a long term. The regional uncertainty is modeled using Python scripting and GIS to analyze spatial patterns of climate change uncertainties over space …

A High-Resolution Temperature Record From Lakes Of The Lofoten Islands, Northwestern Norway Based On A New Uk37 Temperature Calibration From In Situ Measurements, Xiaohui Huang

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Water filters and sediment trap samples were collected weekly from late May to early September 2009 from four lakes of the Lofoten archipelago, northwestern Norway, and were used to explore the applicability of the alkenone unsaturation index (UK37) for temperature reconstruction in limnic systems in the area. For the first time, we observed the occurrence of long-chain alkenones (LCAs) within the water columns of lakes in this region. Water filters from two of the four studied lakes contained measurable concentrations of alkenones that were restricted to spring turnover and disappeared with the onset of summer stratification. These results indicate that …