Roberts David A, Paul Nicholas A, Dworjanyn Symon A, Bird Michael I, de Nys Rocky
MACRO - the Centre for Macroalgal Resources and Biotechnology, College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville Australia 4811.
National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour Australia 2450.
Sci Rep. 2015 Apr 9;5:9665. doi: 10.1038/srep09665.
Seaweed cultivation is a high growth industry that is primarily targeted at human food and hydrocolloid markets. However, seaweed biomass also offers a feedstock for the production of nutrient-rich biochar for soil amelioration. We provide the first data of biochar yield and characteristics from intensively cultivated seaweeds (Saccharina, Undaria and Sargassum--brown seaweeds, and Gracilaria, Kappaphycus and Eucheuma--red seaweeds). While there is some variability in biochar properties as a function of the origin of seaweed, there are several defining and consistent characteristics of seaweed biochar, in particular a relatively low C content and surface area but high yield, essential trace elements (N, P and K) and exchangeable cations (particularly K). The pH of seaweed biochar ranges from neutral (7) to alkaline (11), allowing for broad-spectrum applications in diverse soil types. We find that seaweed biochar is a unique material for soil amelioration that is consistently different to biochar derived from ligno-cellulosic feedstock. Blending of seaweed and ligno-cellulosic biochar could provide a soil ameliorant that combines a high fixed C content with a mineral-rich substrate to enhance crop productivity.
海藻养殖是一个高速发展的产业，主要面向人类食品和水胶体市场。然而，海藻生物质也为生产用于土壤改良的营养丰富的生物炭提供了原料。我们提供了首批关于集约养殖海藻（海带、裙带菜和马尾藻——褐藻，以及江蓠、卡帕藻和麒麟菜——红藻）生物炭产量和特性的数据。虽然生物炭的性质会因海藻来源而有所变化，但海藻生物炭有几个明确且一致的特征，特别是碳含量和表面积相对较低，但产量高、含有必需微量元素（氮、磷和钾）以及可交换阳离子（尤其是钾）。海藻生物炭的pH值范围从中性（7）到碱性（11），可在多种土壤类型中广泛应用。我们发现，海藻生物炭是一种独特的土壤改良材料，与源自木质纤维素原料的生物炭始终存在差异。将海藻生物炭和木质纤维素生物炭混合可以提供一种土壤改良剂，它结合了高固定碳含量和富含矿物质的基质，以提高作物生产力。
