ORAL PRESENTER CO-AUTHOR: Shane Lishawa TITLE: A biomass conundrum: Investigating biochar produced from harvested hybrid cattail to manage wetland diversity ABSTRACT: Great Lakes watershed wetlands are subject to socio-economic pressures, thus exacerbating the climate crisis and global biodiversity loss. Specifically, regional wetland systems are influenced by invasive species proliferation, often driven by development and nutrient pollution. To address invasion degradation, prior research has shown that invasive clonal plant biomass harvesting (e.g. hybrid cattail, common reed) effectively reduces ecological invasion pressures to improve biodiversity. This practice, however, accumulates metric tons of low-value biomass rich in viable propagules, leading to biomass movement impracticality. Biochar production from invasive biomass shows potential for storing long-term carbon and adsorbing available soil solution nutrients while concurrently reducing biomass volume. Biochar is produced when organic material is pyrolyzed [450oC-700oC] in a low-oxygen kiln to produce stable carbon with high cation-ion exchange capacity. We will explore current research successes and challenges in biochar production/wetland reapplication of invasive plant biomass. Furthermore, we will share research of a recently established (August 2023) large-scale (total = 56 plots; plot size = 1.01 acres), multi-year experiment at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Saginaw, MI. This research investigates peak biomass cattail harvesting (control, annual, triennial) and annual cattail biochar production/reapplication (0 metric tons (T) / hectare(ha), 20T/ha, 40T/ha) at a land management scale. This novel research is anticipated to serve as a launching point to scale-up ecological restoration while closing logistic loops in invaded wetlands. BIO: Brian Ohsowski conducts research on restoration of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the Great Lakes. His research focuses on closing the restoration loop when harvesting wetland clonal invaders (hybrid cattail [Typha sp.], common reed [P. australis]). His research team investigates converting harvested invasive plants to biochar to unpack soil / biotic responses to wetland reapplication.