Message #116812

[Bianca]

Microorganisms and animals



Bacteria and fungi (myco-organisms) live and die within the porous media, thus increasing its carbon content. Johannes Lehman and W. Zech, Bruno Glaser à l'Universite de Bayreuth (Allemagne), Embrapa (Manaus, Brazil)
and many others, are studying these phenomena.

Until now there is no scientific evidence for a particular micro-organism to be responsible for the formation of
Terra Preta, but a significant production of biological black carbon has recently been identified, especially under moist tropical conditions.

It is possible that the fungus Aspergillus niger is mainly responsible for it.

Topoliantz and Ponge's work, summarized in a synthetic article in “Soil Biology & Biochemistry”, shows that the peregrine earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Oligochaeta: Glossoscolecidae), widespread in
all Amazonia and notably in clearings after burning processes thanks to its high tolerance of a low content of organic matter in the soil, has been shown to ingest pieces of charcoal and to mix them in
a finely ground form with the mineral soil.

The authors, who experimentally verified this process, point at this as an essential element in the generation of Terra preta soils, associated with agronomic knowledge involving layering the charcoal in thin regular layers favourable to its burying by Pontoscolex corethrurus.

Some ants are repelled from fresh Terra Preta soils, their density of appearance is found to be low after about
10 days as compared to control soils – see Terra Preta Experiments.





Modern research to recreate Terra preta



Efforts to recreate these soils are being undertaken by companies such as Biochar Energy Corporation, Eprida
and Best Energies.

Research efforts are underway at Cornell University, the University of Georgia, Iowa State University and Geoecology Energy Organisation.

Biochar is the main (and likely key) ingredient in the formation of terra preta. One focus of these researchers is
the prospect that if biochar becomes widely used for soil improvement, it will involve globally significant amounts
of carbon sequestration, remediating global warming.





See also



Agroforestry

Biochar

Dark earth

Russian Chernozem

Terramare culture

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus