Amazonian Dark Earths

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xix

   PDF

2. Discovering Amazonian Dark Earths

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. Development of Anthrosol Research

      • William I. Woods

      Pages 3-14

      PDF

   3. Historical Perspectives on Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Thomas P. Myers, William M. Denevan, Antoinette Winklerprins, Antonio Porro

      Pages 15-28

      PDF

   4. Historical and Socio-cultural Origins of Amazonian Dark Earth

      • Eduardo G. Neves, James B. Petersen, Robert N. Bartone, Carlos Augusto Da Silva

      Pages 29-50

      PDF

   5. Distribution of Amazonian Dark Earths in the Brazilian Amazon

      • Dirse Clara Kern, Gilmation D’aquino, Tarcisio Ewerton Rodrigues, Francisco Juvenal Lima Frazao, Wim Sombroek, Thomas P. Myers et al.

      Pages 51-75

      PDF

   6. Classification of Amazonian Dark Earths and Other Ancient Anthropic Soils

      • Nestor Kämpf, William I. Woods, Wim Sombroek, Dirse C. Kern, Tony J. F. Cunha

      Pages 77-102

      PDF

3. Properties of Amazonian Dark Earths

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 103-103

      PDF

   2. Soil Fertility and Production Potential

      • Johannes Lehmann, Dirse Kern, Laura German, Joe Mccann, Gilvan Coimbra Martins, Adonis Moreira

      Pages 105-124

      PDF

   3. Amazonian Dark Earths as Carbon Stores and Sinks

      • Wim Sombroek, Maria De Lourdes Ruivo, Philip M. Fearnside, Bruno Glaser, Johannes Lehmann

      Pages 125-139

      PDF

   4. Soil Organic Matter Stability in Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Bruno Glaser, Georg Guggenberger, Wolfgang Zech, Maria De Lourdes Ruivo

      Pages 141-158

      PDF

   5. Agrobiodiversity in Amazônia and Its Relationship with Dark Earths

      • Charles R. Clement, Joseph M. McCann, Nigel J. H. Smith

      Pages 159-178

      PDF

   6. Ethnoscientific Understandings of Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Laura German

      Pages 179-201

      PDF

4. Methods for Characterization of Amazonian Dark Earths

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 203-203

      PDF

   2. Archaeobotanical Methods for the Study of Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Santiago Mora

      Pages 205-225

      PDF

   3. Organic Chemistry Studies on Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Bruno Glaser, Georg Guggenberger, Wolfgang Zech

      Pages 227-241

      PDF

   4. The Use of Micromorphology for the Study of the Formation and Properties of Amazonian Dark Earths

      • Maria De Lourdes P. Ruivo, Manoel A. Arroyo-Kalin, Carlos E. R. Schaefer, Hilton T. Costi, Silvia H. De Souza Arcanjo, Hedinaldo N. Lima et al.

      Pages 243-254

      PDF

   5. Determining Nutrient Bioavailability of Amazonian Dark Earth Solis — Methodological Challenges

      • Newton Paulo De Souza Falcão, Nicholas Comerford, Johannes Lehmann

      Pages 255-270

      PDF

   6. Soil Physical Characterization

      • Wenceslau G. Teixeira, Gilvan C. Martins

      Pages 271-286

      PDF

   7. Amazonian Dark Earths Biological Measurements

      • Janice Thies, Keiko Suzuki

      Pages 287-332

      PDF

Amazonian Dark Earths are not only a testament to the vanished civilizations of the Amazon Basin, but may provide the answer to how the large, sophisticated societies were able to sustain intensive agriculture in an environment with mostly infertile soils. Locally known as Terra Preta de Indio or Indian black earth, these anomalous soils are even today fertile and highly productive. Though clearly associated with pre-European settlements questions remain whether the Dark Earths were intentionally produced or merely a by-product of habitation activities. This publication provides a comprehensive review of our current understanding of these fascinating soils: their origin, properties, and management through time. These new and multidisciplinary perspectives by leading experts on Amazonian Dark Earths may pave the way for the next revolution of soil management in the humid tropics.

• Soil fertility
• agriculture
• biodiversity
• chemistry
• ecology
• environment
• soil

From the reviews:

"Two symposia on the Amazonian Dark Earths were held in 2001, and these were followed in 2002 by the First International Workshop on the subject in Manaus and Santerem, Brazil. … The Workshop succeeded in its aims of bringing a great deal of information from disparate fields of research to a wide international audience. The editors … provide a … comprehensive view of current knowledge, understanding, methods of research, and prospects for land management." (R. Webster, European Journal of Soil Science, Vol. 56, 2005)

"Amazonian Dark Earths … represents the state of the art in the study of archaeological sediments in the Amazon basin. … The volume, composed of 23 chapters, explores diverse aspects of the origins, properties, and management of Amazonian dark earths (ADE) … . This volume is a critical contribution to ADE research and of great relevance to archaeology, soil science, and contemporary development. … the editors and contributors should be congratulated for establishing the benchmark for ADE studies." (Michael J. Heckenberger, Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 61, 2005)

• Cornell University, USA

  Johannes Lehmann

• Museu goeldi, Brazil

  Dirse C. Kern

• University of Bayreuth, Germany

  Brund Glaser

• University of Southern Illinois, USA

  William I. Wodos

Policies and ethics