Dear Kobus, Perhaps we are talking about a new and better 'worm avoidance" test for the IBI to adapt. The choice is if they would rather go tout of the light to moist char (leave out the oil?) or stay on the damp asphalt. The control (damp asphalt) would be the same for all doing the test. As it is now the control for IBI procedure is a perfectly good soil material compared to it with biochar added. They can live in either but may just choose the control soil because of texture, brief ammonia release from high pH biochar, or many other reasons -other than toxicity of the biochar.
Letting them choose from living on moist asphalt to living in the dark in moist biochar - they should want to go into the biochar unless something is really out of balance and undesirable. Then see if they survive for a week. Great observation Frank Frank Shields 42 Hangar Way Watsonville, CA 95076 (831) 724-5244 tel (831) 724-3188 fax [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kobus Venter Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 12:38 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Stoves] Engine oil, Earthworms and Biochar Hi all I had a fascinating experience concerning biochar and engine oil. I spilled some oil from an oil change onto asphalt and poured some char over it to see if it would soak it up. Today about 6 days later whilst brooming it off I found probably 10 wriggling earthworms in it working away trying to make compost. I was amazed that earthworms could thrive in that environment. There was no soil present whatsoever. Now I know most of us have their own secret spot in the garden for disposing with their engine oil. Do the right thing, fess up and rehabilitate it with biochar. Regards Kobus Sent from my BlackBerryR wireless device www.vuthisa.com _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists .org for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org/ _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org/
