Science – Schmidt et al. (2023): Intentional creation of carbon-rich dark earth soils in the Amazon
Morgan J. Schmidt, Samuel L. Goldberg, Michael Heckenberger, Carlos Fausto, Bruna Franchetto, Jennifer Watling, Helena Lima, Bruno Moraes, Wetherbee B. Dorshow, Joshua Toney, Yamalui Kuikuro, Kumessi Waura, Huke Kuikuro, Taku Wate Kuikuro, Takumã Kuikuro, Yahila Kuikuro, Afukaka Kuikuro, Wenceslau Teixeira, Bruna Rocha, Vinicius Honorato, Hugo Tavares, Marcos Magalhães, Carlos Augusto Barbosa, João Aires da Fonseca, Kelton Mendes, Luís Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni, Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri, Manuel Arroyo-Kalin, Eduardo Neves, Taylor Perron IN: Science Advances 9 (38), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh8499
Fertile soil known as Amazonian dark earth is central to the debate over the size and ecological impact of ancient human populations in the Amazon. Dark earth may also be a substantial carbon sink, but its spatial extent and carbon inventory are unknown. The authors demonstrate spatial and compositional similarities between ancient and modern dark earth and document modern Indigenous practices that enrich soil, which the authors use to propose a model for the formation of ancient dark earth. These practices also sequestered and stored carbon in the soil for centuries, and the authors show that some ancient sites contain as much carbon as the above-ground rainforest biomass.