Black Carbon and Its Effect on Carbon Sequestration in Soil

Abstract

The properties of black carbon (BC) are described very differently in the literature, even when determined by the same methodological procedure. To clarify this discrepancy, BC was investigated in the clay Cambisols of southern Bohemia, Czech Republic, in groups of soils with lower and higher deposition of its atmospheric fallout. The BC determination was performed according to a modified method of Kuhlbusch and Crutzen (1995). The amount of the free light fraction, the occluded light fraction of soil organic matter and its ratio, the amount of heavy soil fraction DF, and its soil organic matter DFOM were determined. Other soil characteristics were identified. It was found that there are two very different types of BC in soils. Historical BC from biomass fires, and new, anthropogenic, from the furnace and transport fumes. Historical BC has a significant effect on the organic matter of the heavy soil fraction, on the ratio of the free and occluded soil organic matter fraction, and the number of water-resistant soil aggregates. Anthropogenic BC does not have this effect. Because this form of BC is not significantly stabilized by the colloidal mineral fraction, it is necessary to take general data on BC's high stability and resistance to mineralization in the soil with circumspection.

The properties of black carbon (BC) are described very differently in the literature, even when determined by the same methodological procedure. To clarify this discrepancy, BC was investigated in the clay Cambisols of southern Bohemia, Czech Republic, in groups of soils with lower and higher deposition of its atmospheric fallout. The BC determination was performed according to a modified method of Kuhlbusch and Crutzen (1995). The amount of the free light fraction, the occluded light fraction of soil organic matter and its ratio, the amount of heavy soil fraction DF, and its soil organic matter DFOM were determined. Other soil characteristics were identified. It was found that there are two very different types of BC in soils. Historical BC from biomass fires, and new, anthropogenic, from the furnace and transport fumes. Historical BC has a significant effect on the organic matter of the heavy soil fraction, on the ratio of the free and occluded soil organic matter fraction, and the number of water-resistant soil aggregates. Anthropogenic BC does not have this effect. Because this form of BC is not significantly stabilized by the colloidal mineral fraction, it is necessary to take general data on BC's high stability and resistance to mineralization in the soil with circumspection.