Books in the SSSA Special Publications series

Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar: Advances and Barriers: Over the past decade, biochar has been intensively studied by agricultural and environmental scientists and applied as a soil quality enhancer and environmental ameliorator in various trials worldwide. This book, with 21 chapters by 57 accomplished international researchers, reports on the recent advances of biochar research and the global status of biochar application. Scientific findings, uncertainties, and barriers to practice of biochar amendment for sustaining soil fertility, improving crop production, promoting animal performance, remediating water and land, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions are synthesized. The book presents a whole picture of biochar in its production, characterization, application, and development. Agricultural and Environmental Applications of Biochar: Advances and Barrier highlights the mechanisms and processes of biochar amendment for achieving stunning agricultural and environmental benefits. Composition and characteristics of biochar, its interactions with contaminants and soil constituents, and its transformation in the environment are illustrated to enlighten the achievements of biochar amendment in improving soil physical, chemical, and biological quality and animal health, reducing soil greenhouse gas emissions, and decontaminating stormwater and mine sites. Additional emphasis is given to the pyrogenic carbon in Terra Preta soils and Japanese Andosols, the pyrolysis technology for converting agricultural byproducts to biochar, and the existing economic and technical barriers to wide application of biochar in Australia, China, New Zealand, North America, and Europe. Readers will appreciate the comprehensive review on the up-to-date biochar research and application and gain critical guidance in best biochar generation and utilization.

Rapid advances in tomography and imaging techniques and their successful application in soil and plant science are changing our sciences today. Many more articles using imaging and tomography are being published currently compared to 20 years ago. Soil-Water-Root Processes: Advances in Tomography and Imaging is a unique assemblage of contributions exploring applications of imaging and tomography systems in soil science--it provides an updated collection of X-ray computed tomography, synchrotron microtomography, neutron imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, geophysical imaging tools, and other tomography techniques for evaluating soils and roots. Exciting new procedures and applications have been developed, with the promise to propel forward our understanding of soil and plant properties and processes.