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Global climate change, increasing pollution, and continued rapid population growth is wreaking havoc on the planet. Stabilizing the environment at safe levels requires a large-scale restoration of damaged ecosystems. Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase outlines the basic concepts of geotherapy and highlights the importance of healing the biosphere's ability to store soil carbon to prevent climate change impacts. Facing challenges head on, it addresses how and why policymakers have underestimated the long-term impacts of climate change and how we can correct the flawed carbon management mechanisms today. The book also factors in where carbon can be most effectively stored, how quickly that can be done, and the practical and policy actions needed to get there.
This text presents innovative new technologies for restoring the most productive ecosystems on land while maintaining high biodiversity. It addresses processes and techniques of soil carbon restoration through biogeochemical cycling, biochar, slow-release fertilizers, weathering of minerals (olivine) and rock (basalt) powders, amendments and bio-fertilizers, and the establishment of vetiver and other perennials. Written by highly recognized professionals from every continent except Antarctica, this extensive work consists of 34 chapters covering issues that include: field experiences with biochar including a history of its research; practical uses of biochar in farming systems and the use of biochar for soil fertility enhancement; the potential of remineralization as a global movement; seawater concentrate for abundant agriculture; superior food production using sea salt and plant extracts; recycling waste nutrients using biochar and limestone; and commercially viable carbon farming. The book concludes with a chapter providing general thoughts on regreening the earth and averting a global crisis.
Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase is an encyclopedia of ideas providing the tools needed for anyone involved with the ecological restoration and transformation of the planet.
- Introduction: Geotherapy, the Down-to-Earth Solution to Global Warming; Thomas J Goreau, Ronal W Larson, and Joanna Campe
- Global Biogeochemical Restoration to Stabilize CO at Safe Levels in Time to Avoid Severe Climate Change Impacts to Earth’s Life Support Systems: Implications for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Thomas J Goreau
- Potential Annual and Cumulative Carbon Dioxide Removal via Biochar; Ronal W Larson
- Potential of Remineralization as a Global Movement; Joanna Campe
- Curing Sick Soils through Chemistry; Richard S Stein and Tadeusz S Wysocki
- Rates and Mechanisms of Functional Mineral Reactions in Soils; David AC Manning
- The Green Cookery Book: Recipes against Climate Change and Ocean Acidification; Olaf Schuiling
- Olivine: Time for Action!; Oliver Tickell
- Reestablishing the Evolutionary Grassland–Grazer Relationship to Restore Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide to Preindustrial Levels; Adam D Sacks, Richard Teague, Fred Provenza, Seth Itzkan, and Jim Laurie
- Geology into Biology: Carbon, Minerals, and Microbes—Tools to Remineralize Soil, Sequester Carbon, and Restore the Earth; David Yarrow
- Biochar: The Field Experience; Kurt Spokas and Jeff Novak
- Survey of Biochar Field Trials; Erich J Knight
- Hydrological, Ecological and Economic Advantages of Aliquot Biochar Dosing for Soil, Climate, and Ecosystem Remediation; D Nathaniel Mulcahy
- Mobilizing Biochar: A Multistakeholder Scheme for Climate-Friendly Foods and Rural Sustainable Development; Steven R McGreevy and Akira Shibata
- Role of Biochar in Farming Systems Producing Food and Energy from Biomass; TR Preston
- Vetiver System: Reversing Degradation On and Off Farm to Keep Soil Carbon In Place, Build Up Root Biomass, and Turn Degraded Areas into Biofuel Sources; Elise Pinners
- Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished Tropical Soils in Panama; Thomas J Goreau, Felix Lufkin, Carlos A Arango, Gabriel Despaigne-Matchett,
- Gabriel Despaigne-Ceballos, Roque Solis, Marina Goreau, and Joanna Campe
- Basalt Dust and Biochar Interactions at New Harmony Farm, Massachusetts; Thomas J Goreau, Erin Stack, Elaine Senechal, Jianwu Tang, Rebecca Ryals, Tom Vanacore, and Joanna Campe
- Soil Remineralization Trial: Preliminary Effects of Montserrat Volcanic Ash on Barbuda Limestone Soils; John Mussington
- Building Soil Where There is None: Feasibility of Using Recycled Glass in Growing Media; Fred Riger
- Soil Remineralization in Scotland; Jennifer A Brodie
- Stonemeal: Principles, Potential, and Perspectives from Brazil; Suzi Huff Theodoro and Othon Henry Leonardos
- Chemical Composition of Litter Fall and Inputs of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Mineral Elements in a Secondary Forest of South Cameroon; Damien Henri Odigui Ahanda, Monique Abossolo Angue, and Jean Jacques Braun
- Pyroclastic Rocks as Natural Fertilizer: Case Study of Volcanic Ashes from Tombel Graben (Cameroon Volcanic Line, Central Africa); David Guimolaire Nkouathio
- Effect of Powders of Basalts, Tuff, Granites, and Pyroclastic Materials on the Yield and Quality of Carrots and Cabbages Grown on Tropical Soils in the Northwest Region of Cameroon; Samuel Tetsopgang, Pierre Kamga, Paul F Gonang Achoumele, Bonaventure Alemanji, Dieudonne Z Manjo, and Linda Mazoh
- Rock Fertilizers as an Alternative to Conventional Fertilizers: The Use of Basalt from the Cameroon Volcanic Line for Maize Farming on Ferralitic Soils; Jean Pierre Tchouankoue, Arliane Nicole Tetchou Tchekambou, Monique Abossolo Angue, Christophe Ngansop, and Suzi Huff Theodoro
- Seawater Concentrate for Abundant Agriculture; Arthur Zeigler
- Superior Food Production Using Sea Salt and Plant Extracts; Ioan Hossu
- Biochar-Based Amendment Enhances Tomato Transplant Growth and Early Fruiting; Ronald Morse and Jon Nilsson
- Organic Restoration Minerals Upgrade Soil; Barry Carter
- SEM-EDX Observation of Diatomaceous Earth at Radioactive Paddy Soils in Fukushima, Japan; Kazue Tazaki, Teruaki Takehara, Yasuhito Ishigaki, Hideaki Nakagawa, and Masayuki Okuno
- Healing the Earth by Healing the Waters: Recycling Waste Nutrients Using Biochar and Limestone; Kirk DS Jones
- Australian Journey toward Commercially Viable Carbon Farming; Cindy Eiritz
- Conclusions: Regreening Earth and Growing Our Way out of Global Crisis; Thomas J Goreau, Ronal W Larson, and Joanna Campe
Index
From the Foreword:
"This book, Geotherapy, with its multiplicity of perspectives focuses on three fundamental issues; healing the planet, stabilizing climate and feeding the human community. All are linked and interwoven in a story that begins with the soil and its stewardship and extends outward to encompass the whole planet [...] . The chapters that follow represent the unfolding of a new paradigm that is deeply rooted in the teachings of nature. [...] If the ideas laid out in Geotherapy were implemented, the capacity of the land to support economic activity would also diversify and expand [...] . It could also engage a large percentage of the people around the world. Our future as a civilization may depend on returning to our roots and the mineral as well as the organic materials that sustain them [...] Geotherapy is an encyclopedia of ideas and tools for transforming the planet. The book is written by genuine earth stewards, most of who have field experience and a broad theoretical knowledge of the larger workings of the planet. Their experience spans many different climates, soils and cultures. This practical, get your hands-in-the soil manual is a good place to start to transform the world.
– John Todd, Todd Ecological Design, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
From the Preface:
"That "carbon sequestration in soil being a win-win option" is the common thread that links all 34 chapters of Geotherapy into a coherent and informative book. [...] Geotherapy supports the truism that "If soils are not restored, crops will fail even if rains do not; hunger will perpetuate even with emphasis on biotechnology and genetically modified crops; civil strife and political instability will plague the developing world even with sermons on human rights and democratic ideals; and humanity will suffer even with great scientific strides. Political stability and global peace are threatened because of soil degradation, food insecurity, and desperateness. The time to act is now" (Lal, Science, 2008)."
– Rattan Lal, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
