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COURSE TITLE: Can biochar increase carbon sequestration in wetland restoration projects?

INSTRUCTORS Priyanka Sarkar

COURSE DESCRIPTION Priyanka Sarkar
Date: July 16, 2020
Title: Can biochar increase carbon sequestration in wetland restoration projects?

Abstract:
Biochar (a carbonaceous soil additive) is considered as one of the promising options to enhance the soil carbon sink due to its resistance to biotic and abiotic degradation. Coastal managers in the U.S. are increasingly interested in incorporating biochar into wetland restoration and stormwater mitigation projects because of its dual benefits in terms of enhancing denitrification and sequestering carbon; however, little information is available on the ability of biochar to sequester carbon in coastal wetlands. In the present study, we conducted a factorial experiment to examine the initial changes in sequestration of wetland sediments amended with and without different levels (0%, 10%, and 20%, v/v) and types of commercially obtained biochar (bamboo, hardwood, softwood, rice husk, and marine feedstocks). Carbon mineralization was monitored by measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from the incubated pots. Preliminary data showed increased rates of CO2 emissions in an initial couple of incubation weeks, followed by diminished emission rates later in the incubation period, indicating sequestration of CO2 by soils amended with biochars of bamboo, hardwood, softwood, and rice husk. Contrastingly, the marine soil amendment (marine feedstocks) continued emitting CO2 over the entire study period which might be due to its high labile nature. Overall, the biochar amended sediments sequestered higher CO2 compared to the non-amended soils. These results are preliminary and will be further elucidated by microbial biomass analysis in the future. The study provides an insight for the coastal managers looking for sustainable strategies towards climate change mitigation.

Bio:
Priyanka is a young researcher passionate about conservation and sustainable management of wetland ecosystems. Her specific research interests include carbon sequestration and nitrogen & phosphorus dynamics in wetlands, assessing regulating services (water purification potential of wetlands) and provisioning services (wetland goods) of wetlands, and economic valuation of wetland ecosystem services. Moreover, she is also interested in understanding how various ecological aspects of wetlands in the tropics are related to socio-economic dimensions, livelihood sustenance, and human well-being.

Priyanka completed her Masterâ��s degree with a specialization in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment from the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, India. Currently, she is finishing her PhD on conservation of a floodplain wetland from an ecosystem services perspective at Assam University. In 2019, Priyanka received the Green Talents Award hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Priyanka has also been appointed as a Graduate Research Associate (honorary appointment) at the Wetlands Ecology Department, Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, PA. Priyanka also serves as the Asia Lead at the Youth Engaged in Wetlands (YEW), an international network to enable and empower young people to help support the mission

Credit Points: 0.06

SYLLABUS/TOPICAL OUTLINE 1) Introduction to biochar as a soil amendment and its potential in wetland restoration and mitigation (15 min.), 2) Study to determine differential carbon sequestration from soils with several types of biochar amendments (20 min.), 3) The contribution of this study to coastal managers and recommended follow-up studies (5 min.), 4) Questions and answers (20 min.).

COURSE CONTACT

Louis Mantini
9225 CR49, Live Oak, FL 32025
lfm@srwmd.org
P: 3866974891
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