paleorthid's Feed

New Gardening with Biochar FAQ

paleorthid — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:59:00 -0400

The argument for encouraging biochar use as a ubiquitous household practice is compelling: Improved garden soil will increase food production where it has the most impact on energy demand. Implementing charcoal manufacture at a household level draws in a supply of yard prunings and workbench scraps that otherwise would be lost to non-charcoal alternatives. Unfortunately, finding even the most basic information on how to implement biochar use as a personal sustainability practice is discouragingly time consuming. In response I have started up a FAQ Tagged by paleorthid under blogs, carbon, environment, agrichar, bio-char, garden, terra_preta,

No Miracles

paleorthid — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:56:00 -0400

Charcoal cannot replace the need for adding mineral nutrients. Tagged by paleorthid under agrichar, bio-char, carbon, environment, farm, fertility, nutrition, phosphorus, science, soil, carbon_credits,

Scoop: Kelpie Wilson: 2006 Top Green Tech Ideas

paleorthid — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 01:22:00 -0500

Tagged by paleorthid under terra_preta, bio-char, environment, energy,

Evolution Research - General Evolution News: Metagenomics: Investigating the invisible life in our environment

paleorthid — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 01:32:00 -0500

Data indicates microbes have more difficulty adapting than previously thought. Tagged by paleorthid under soil, biology, genome, rna, ecology, environment, fungi, bacteria, habitat, microbiology, research, science, soil_microbiology,

Opinion: How biofuels could cut carbon emissions, produce energy and restore dead land « Not exactly rocket science

paleorthid — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 01:25:00 -0500

plant diversity and low input biomass for biofuel Tagged by paleorthid under soil, environment, co2, biofuel, research, opinion, science, carbon_sequestration, conservation,

transect points: Soil Science has Changed

paleorthid — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 04:48:00 -0500

Edaphology is the study of soil (edaphic) effects. Until about 25 years ago, it was mostly synonymous with agricultural soil science as distinguished from pedology, the study of soil in its natural setting. Edaphology now encompasses the new field of environmental soil science, with its more formal emphasis on interdependent living processes in soil. Tagged by paleorthid under soil, science, history, ecology, edaphology, environment,

Septic Tank Enforcement Program - St Johns Florida

paleorthid — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:33:00 -0500

Tagged by paleorthid under septic_system, pollution, environment, government, regulation, nutrient_leaching, nitrate, groundwater,

Performance-Based Septic Systems Now Required in Wakulla County - Wakulla County - real estate, homes, news and politics

paleorthid — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:32:00 -0500

First instance I have come acrross of performance based septic systems being required Tagged by paleorthid under septic_system, pollution, environment, government, regulation, nutrient_leaching, nitrate, groundwater,

Septic Systems for Small Communities | Mid-Atlantic Water | US EPA

paleorthid — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:30:00 -0500

Tagged by paleorthid under septic_system, pollution, environment, government, regulation, nutrient_leaching, nitrate, groundwater,

transect points: Teaming with Microbes Arrived Today

paleorthid — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:36:00 -0500

"Teaming with Microbes", by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis. Foreword by Elaine Ingham. Strong soil science orientation. Well organized. Extensive index. Valuable guide to labs and suppliers. Looking forward to actually reading it. Tagged by paleorthid under bacteria, book, review, environment, fertility, fungi, garden, glomalin, microbiology, new, organic, science, soil,

Soil - Our Financial Institution » Celsias

paleorthid — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:56:00 -0500

Long blog post about soil and the collapse of civilization if we don't get it together. Tagged by paleorthid under soil, environment, carbon, sequestration,

Muck and Mystery: Soiled Stories

paleorthid — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:13:00 -0500

...engaging with the organic myths of pseudo-environmentalists and their historically impoverished views of agriculture. Tagged by paleorthid under soil, science, agriculture, environment, erosion, chemistry, fertility, blog,

transect points: The Scoop on Dirt (A Review)

paleorthid — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:51:00 -0500

Soil scientist takes issue with a beautifully written journalistic essay on soil and soil erosion. He points to two scientific discoveries, terra preta and glomalin, relevant to regenerating damaged soils in the Third World. Tagged by paleorthid under environment, erosion, news, soil, science,

NSCSS News and Views: Launch of New House Soils Caucus!

paleorthid — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:41:00 -0500

The mission of the House Soils Caucus is to heighten the awareness of, and appreciation for, the importance and role of soils and soil science among policymakers and the public to promote proper soil management and conservation to ensure the continued production of high-quality and abundant food, feed, and fiber while protecting and enhancing the environment and natural resource base across the nation. Tagged by paleorthid under news, politics, soil, science,

transect points: My 2007 Field Season Begins

paleorthid — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 03:39:00 -0500

In the Yakima Valley, with its 500,000 irrigated acres and its network of leaking canals, irrigation induced seasonal wetlands are common. In the floodplain, upwelling hyporheic / phreatic river water can be masked by irrigation induced hydrology, but only while the canals are full, or recently so. During this January visit, long after irrigation diversions have ceased, there was no mistaking the dominant river-induced groundwater hydrology at the site. Tagged by paleorthid under sample, soil, scientist, wetland, consulting, hydrology, yakima, water, drainage, environment, irrigation, regulation,

transect points: Carbon Credit Payments for US Forest, No-till Crop, Manure, or Grassland

paleorthid — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:29:00 -0500

The North Dakota Farmers Union has successfully started a national Carbon Credit Program. It allows ag producers and landowners to earn income by storing carbon in their soil through no-till crop production and longterm grass seeding practices. There are also forestry (tree planting) and methane offset (manure digester) contracts. Forestry and methane contracts are available nationwide and have no enrollment date. Soil offset contracts are limited to established enrollment areas. (article includes map). Soil carbon characterization studies are needed to expand the enrollment areas. Tagged by paleorthid under agricultural, carbon_sequestration, co2, environment, carbon_credits,

transect points: New Soil Science Licensing Website

paleorthid — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:58:00 -0500

Renewed soil science licensing efforts are underway in Washington State. Supporting them is a new website. Titled Soil Science Licensing, the site is available to become a clearinghouse for all soil science licensing efforts. It links to the best available information, including the list of soil science licensing boards maintained by the Soil WikiProject. Tagged by paleorthid under environment, erosion, government, health, licensing, politics, regulation, soil, science, stormwater,

transect points: Soil and Bioavailability of P in Food

paleorthid — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 02:55:00 -0500

Researchers find that soil phosphorus levels may affect plant phytate levels as much as plant breeding. Not only is the phosphorus in low-phytate grain crops more digestible by people, but low-phytate grains free up minerals essential to human nutrition: zinc, manganese and iron. Tagged by paleorthid under agriculture, animal, chemistry, edaphology, environment, farm, feed, health, phosphorus, research, water, soil, waste,

From libraries to libratories

paleorthid — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:44:00 -0500

Abstract: While the eighties of the last century were a time of local automation for libraries and the nineties the decade in which libraries embraced the Internet and the Web, now is the age in which the big search engines and institutional repositories are gaining a firm footing. This heralds a new era in both the evolution of scholarly communication and its agencies themselves, i.e. the libraries. Until now libraries and publishers have developed a digital variant of existing processes and products, i.e. catalogues posted on the Web, scanned copies of articles, e�mail notification about acquisitions or expired lending periods, or traditional journals in a digital jacket. However, the new OAI repositories and services based upon them have given rise to entirely new processes and products, libraries transforming themselves into partners in setting up virtual learning environments, building an institution�s digital showcase, maintaining academics� personal Web sites, designing refereed portals and � further into the future � taking part in organising virtual research environments or collaboratories. Libraries are set to metamorphose into �libratories�, an imaginary word to express their combined functions of library, repository and collaboratory. In such environments scholarly communication will be liberated from its current copyright bridle while its coverage will be both broader � including primary data, audiovisuals and dynamic models � and deeper, with cross�disciplinary analyses of methodologies and applications of instruments. Universities will make it compulsory to store in their institutional repositories the results of research conducted within their walls for purposes of academic reporting, review committees, and other modes of clarification and explanation. Big search engines will provide access to this profusion of information and organise its mass customization. Tagged by paleorthid under open_access, OA,

CiteULike: Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal â€“ a review

paleorthid — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 02:55:00 -0500

Rapid turnover of organic matter leads to a low efficiency of organic fertilizers applied to increase and sequester C in soils of the humid tropics. Charcoal was reported to be responsible for high soil organic matter contents and soil fertility of anthropogenic soils (Terra Preta) found in central Amazonia. Therefore, we reviewed the available information about the physical and chemical properties of charcoal as affected by different combustion procedures, and the effects of its application in agricultural fields on nutrient retention and crop production. Higher nutrient retention and nutrient availability were found after charcoal additions to soil, related to higher exchange capacity, surface area and direct nutrient additions. Higher charring temperatures generally improved exchange properties and surface area of the charcoal. Additionally, charcoal is relatively recalcitrant and can therefore be used as a long-term sink for atmospheric CO2. Several aspects of a charcoal management system remain unclear, such as the role of microorganisms in oxidizing charcoal surfaces and releasing nutrients and the possibilities to improve charcoal properties during production under field conditions. Several research needs were identified, such as field testing of charcoal production in tropical agroecosystems, the investigation of surface properties of the carbonized materials in the soil environment, and the evaluation of the agronomic and economic effectiveness of soil management with charcoal. Tagged by paleorthid under terra_preta, bio-char, carbon_sequestration, charcoal_addition_to_soil, edaphology, pedology, nutrient_leaching, soil_amelioration, soil_microbiology, sustainable_landuse,