Biochar Effectiveness in Sagebrush Steppe Re-Establishment Post-Fire
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Marie-Anne de Graaff (Mentor), Boise State University
Abstract
With increased wildfire incidences, fire-intolerant sagebrush steppe ecosystems in North America are more at risk of destruction. Sagebrush re-establishment is unpredictable post-fire in semi-arid climates as successful sagebrush growth requires moist soil. This creates a need for a soil amendment that increases the soil’s ability to retain moisture, which may allow for more successful restoration of sagebrush. This experiment questions the effectiveness of biochar, pyrolyzed organic material, and its ability to re-establish sagebrush post-fire. Fire-stricken sagebrush steppe in Boise, Idaho was utilized to plant seedlings in ‘Recovering’ and ‘Non-Recovered’ zones. Seedlings, except for the control group, were amended with three types of biochar that varied in particle size, ash content, carbon content, and pH (n=10). Harvested 18-month-old samples were ball-milled and run through a mass spectrometer to measure the delta carbon-13 (13C) values. Delta 13C values measure moisture stress in plants, with more negative values indicating greater water stress. Using ANOVA, the data was compared between treatments and there were no statistically significant differences in delta 13C values. Therefore, biochar application did not affect soil moisture content, suggesting that biochar did not increase soil moisture retention and ultimately did not aid in sagebrush re-establishment post-fire.
Biochar Effectiveness in Sagebrush Steppe Re-Establishment Post-Fire
With increased wildfire incidences, fire-intolerant sagebrush steppe ecosystems in North America are more at risk of destruction. Sagebrush re-establishment is unpredictable post-fire in semi-arid climates as successful sagebrush growth requires moist soil. This creates a need for a soil amendment that increases the soil’s ability to retain moisture, which may allow for more successful restoration of sagebrush. This experiment questions the effectiveness of biochar, pyrolyzed organic material, and its ability to re-establish sagebrush post-fire. Fire-stricken sagebrush steppe in Boise, Idaho was utilized to plant seedlings in ‘Recovering’ and ‘Non-Recovered’ zones. Seedlings, except for the control group, were amended with three types of biochar that varied in particle size, ash content, carbon content, and pH (n=10). Harvested 18-month-old samples were ball-milled and run through a mass spectrometer to measure the delta carbon-13 (13C) values. Delta 13C values measure moisture stress in plants, with more negative values indicating greater water stress. Using ANOVA, the data was compared between treatments and there were no statistically significant differences in delta 13C values. Therefore, biochar application did not affect soil moisture content, suggesting that biochar did not increase soil moisture retention and ultimately did not aid in sagebrush re-establishment post-fire.