Biochar in European Soils and Agriculture Science and Practice

This user-friendly book introduces biochar to potential users in the professional sphere. It de-mystifies the scientific, engineering and managerial issues surrounding biochar for the benefit of audiences including policy makers, landowners and farmers, land use, agricultural and environmental managers and consultants, industry and lobby groups and NGOs.

The book reviews state-of-the-art knowledge in an approachable way for the non-scientist, covering all aspects of biochar production, soil science, agriculture, environmental impacts, economics, law and regulation and climate change policy. Chapters provide ?hands-on? practical information, including how to evaluate biochar and understand what it is doing when added to the soil, how to combine biochar with other soil amendments (such as manure and composts) to achieve desired outcomes, and how to ensure safe and effective use.

The authors also present research findings from the first coordinated European biochar field trial and summarize European field trial data. Explanatory boxes, infographics and concise summaries of key concepts are included throughout to make the subject more understandable and approachable.

1. Introduction Simon Shackley, Hans-Peter Schmidt and Bruno Glaser 2. Biochar Production and Feedstock Ondřej Mašek, Frederik Ronsse and Dane Dickinson 3. Biochar Properties Elisa Lopez-Capel, Kor Zwart, Simon Shackley, Romke Postma, John Stenstrom, Daniel Rasse, Alice Budai and Bruno Glaser 4. The Role of Biochar in Agricultural Soils Andrew Cross, Kor Zwart, Simon Shackley and Greet Ruysschaert 5. Field Applications of Pure Biochar in the North Sea Region and Across Europe Greet Ruysschaert, Victoria Nelissen, Romke Postma, Esben Bruun, Adam O’Toole, Jim Hammond, Markus Rödger, Lars Hylander, Tor Kihlberg, Kor Zwart, Henrik Hauggaard-Nielse and Simon Shackley 6. Combining Biochar and Organic Amendments Claudia Kammann, Bruno Glaser and Hans-Peter Schmidt 7. Biochar Carbon Stability and Effect on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Esben Bruun, Andy Cross, Jim Hammond, Victoria Nelissen, Daniel P. Rasse and Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen 8 Life Cycle Assessment: Biochar as a Greenhouse Gas Sink? Jan-Markus Rödger, Jim Hammond, Peter Brownsort, Dane Dickinson and Achim Loewen 9. The Economic Viability and Prospects for Biochar in Europe: Shifting Paradigms in Uncertain Times Simon Shackley 10. The Legality of Biochar Use: Regulatory Requirements and Risk Assessment Jim Hammond, Luc Benton, Hans-Peter Schmidt, Laura van Scholl, Greet Ruysschaert, Victoria Nelissen, Rodrigo Ibarrola, Adam O’Toole, Simon Shackley and Tania Van Laer 11. Current and Future Applications for Biochar Adam O’Toole, David Andersson, Achim Gerlach, Bruno Glaser, Claudia Kammann, Jürgen Kern, Kirsi Kuoppamäki, Jan Mumme, Hans-Peter Schmidt, Michael Schulze, Franziska Srocke, Marianne Stenrød and John Stenström 12. Biochar Horizon 2025 Hans-Peter Schmidt and Simon Shackley

Simon Shackley is a Lecturer in the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh, UK.

Greet Ruysschaert is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Belgium.

Kor Zwart has recently retired as Senior Researcher at Alterra Wageningen-UR, Netherlands.

Bruno Glaser is Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany, and Managing Director of Biochar Europe UG.