Pyrogenic carbon: a panacea for restoration of below-ground ecosystem function?

火是一种常见的干扰剂，通过影响地上和地下过程，如群落结构、养分有效性、微生物动力学和土壤有机质稳定，推动生态系统的功能。热解碳(PYC)是影响这些不同土壤生物地球化学相互作用的主要火灾残留物。PYC也被认为具有很高的抗腐蚀性，火灾后在土壤中存活100‘S到1000’S。这两个事实使热带雨林成为自然干扰的重要遗留底物。尽管它意义重大，但令人惊讶的是，我们对不同生态系统中的热解碳数量及其对地上和地下功能的影响知之甚少。最近的文献表明，热解碳是全球碳循环中一个重要但研究不足的组成部分，其来源来自所有陆地生态系统，储存在陆地和海洋环境中。Biochar是PYC的人造替代品，两者都是更广泛的黑色C(BC)连续体的一部分。更好地了解BC连续体的这些组成部分如何影响地下过程，对于将这种材料应用于生态系统恢复是必要的。我的研究计划的长期目标是量化加拿大西部生态系统中的BC，以帮助进行全球C核算，并研究BC如何影响自然和人类干扰地区的生态系统功能。许多管理严密的生态系统不再被允许定期燃烧，因此不再定期增加BC。生物炭可以用来帮助模拟这些受管理的生态系统中火灾的影响。通过对BC的研究，本研究将更好地了解植物、土壤和微生物的相互作用、火灾恢复、火灾后土壤固碳以及如何将这些过程应用于生态系统管理和恢复。土地开垦在加拿大北部尤为重要，该地区经历了与石油和天然气开发、矿产勘探和采矿相关的快速工业增长。未来，大面积的土地将需要填海造地和生态功能恢复。我相信，BC将在刺激预先调整的恢复战略方面发挥不可或缺的作用，使成功的恢复更快地发生。这项研究的发现将影响填海实践，因此对联邦和省级政府、行业和填海从业者将具有非常重要的意义。

Fire is a common disturbance agent that drives ecosystem function by influencing both above- and below-ground processes, such as community structure, nutrient availability, microbial dynamics, and soil organic matter stabilization. Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) is the main residue of fire that influences these different soil biogeochemical interactions. PyC is also believed to be highly resistant to decomposition, residing in soil for 100's to 1000's of years post-fire. These two facts make PyC a significant legacy substrate of natural disturbance. Despite its significance, we know surprisingly little about the amount of PyC in different ecosystems or its influence on above- and below-ground function. Recent literature suggests that PyC is an important, yet understudied component of the global C cycle with sources in all terrestrial ecosystems and storage in terrestrial and marine environments. Biochar is a human made surrogate for PyC, both of which are part of the broader Black C (BC) continuum. A better understanding how these components of the BC continuum affect below-ground processes is necessary for applying this material to ecosystem restoration. The long-term goals of my research program are to quantify BC in western Canadian ecosystems to help with global C accounting, and to examine how BC influences ecosystem function in natural and human disturbed areas. Many heavily managed ecosystems are no longer allowed to burn at regular intervals and therefore are not receiving regular additions of BC. Biochar could be used to help emulate the effects of fire in these managed ecosystems. Through the study of BC, this research will generate a better understanding of plant, soil, and microbe interaction, recovery from fire, soil carbon sequestration after fire, and how these processes might be applied to ecosystem management and restoration. Land reclamation is particularly important in the Canadian north which has experienced rapid industrial growth related to oil and gas development, mineral exploration, and mining. In the future, large areas will require land reclamation and restoration of ecological function. I believe that BC will have an integral role in stimulating pre-adapted recovery strategies causing successful restoration to happen more quickly. Findings from this research will influence reclamation practice and therefore will be of high importance for federal and provincial governments, industry, and reclamation practitioners.