mystery soil of the amazon
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Confronting. Terra Preta. Soil Minerals. Carbon. Climate Change. “dark earth” ( Portuguese ). Mystery Soil of the Amazon. Amazon Basin, Brazil. Local farmers prize Terra Preta yields three times greater than adjacent infertile tropical soils sustained fertility in intensive use - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Mystery Soil of the AmazonMystery Soil of the AmazonAmazon Basin, BrazilAmazon Basin, Brazil
Soil MineralsSoil Minerals
Climate ChangeConfronting
OxisolOxisolpredominant Amazon soilspredominant Amazon soils
acidicacidicnotoriously infertilenotoriously infertile
very low carbonvery low carbonpoor nutrient capacitypoor nutrient capacity
Terra PretaTerra Preta
Local farmers prize Local farmers prize Terra PretaTerra Preta• yields three times greater than yields three times greater than
adjacent infertile tropical soilsadjacent infertile tropical soils• sustained fertility in intensive usesustained fertility in intensive use• dug up and sold as potting soildug up and sold as potting soil
““dark earth” dark earth” ((PortuguesePortuguese))
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Small PatchesSmall Patches average: 20 hectares (50 acres)average: 20 hectares (50 acres) up to 350 hectares (865 acres)up to 350 hectares (865 acres) near settlements & on bluffsnear settlements & on bluffs cultural debriscultural debrisanimal & fish bonesanimal & fish bones embedded pottery sherdsembedded pottery sherds
AgeAge800 - 4000 years800 - 4000 yearsradio-carbon dating (charcoal)radio-carbon dating (charcoal)recent research: 6000 yearsrecent research: 6000 years
““dark earth” dark earth” ((PortuguesePortuguese))
Amazon Basin, BrazilAmazon Basin, Brazil
Soil MineralsSoil Minerals
Aerial SurveysAerial Surveys10% of total land area10% of total land areaable to feed 5-10 million peopleable to feed 5-10 million people
Terra PretaTerra Preta
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High Microbial ActivityHigh Microbial Activity““microbial reef”microbial reef”Soil Food WebSoil Food WebHigh diversity, high stabilityHigh diversity, high stabilityNitrogen-fixing bacteriaNitrogen-fixing bacteria
High NutrientsHigh NutrientsCation Exchange Capacity (CEC)Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)Calcium (+)Calcium (+)Phosphorus (-)Phosphorus (-)Nitrogen (+ / -)Nitrogen (+ / -)
High CarbonHigh Carbonup to 9%up to 9%compared with .5% in other soilscompared with .5% in other soilssometimes over 20%sometimes over 20%two to six feet deeptwo to six feet deepmost carbon is charcoalmost carbon is charcoal
““dark earth” dark earth” ((PortuguesePortuguese))
Amazon Basin, BrazilAmazon Basin, BrazilCharcoalCharcoal
Soil MineralsSoil Minerals
reduced carbonreduced carbon
Terra PretaTerra Preta
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How did Amazon natives create these How did Amazon natives create these remarkably fertile and productive soils?remarkably fertile and productive soils?
How did these soils sustain their How did these soils sustain their remarkable productivity for five centuries?remarkable productivity for five centuries?
What can we learn from these soils to What can we learn from these soils to sustain soil productivity today?sustain soil productivity today?
Can this way to create these tropical soils Can this way to create these tropical soils give insights to improve temperate soils?give insights to improve temperate soils?
Can this sequester carbon in soilCan this sequester carbon in soilto help reverse global warming?to help reverse global warming?
CharcoalCharcoalSoil MineralsSoil Minerals
reduced carbonreduced carbon
Terra PretaTerra Preta
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suck COsuck CO22
fixed intofixed into
transform intotransform into
boost soil fertilityboost soil fertility
photosynthesisphotosynthesis
restore restore Soil BiologySoil Biologygrow moregrow more
pyrolysispyrolysis
inoculateinoculate
out of Earth’s atmosphereout of Earth’s atmosphere
CarbohydratesCarbohydratesplant biomassplant biomass
BiocharBiocharsequestered carbonsequestered carbon
positive feedback
loop
In tropical Amazon,In tropical Amazon,replacing replacing slash & burnslash & burn
with with slash & charslash & charcan create can create sustainable soil fertilitysustainable soil fertility
initiateinitiate permanent agriculture permanent agriculture end end rainforest destructionrainforest destruction
Organic FarmerOrganic FarmerOrleans, MassachusettsOrleans, Massachusetts
Robert WellsRobert Wells
ConfrontingConfrontingClimate ChangeClimate Change
Can this work Can this work in our “temperate” climate?in our “temperate” climate?
our question is:our question is:
Any strategy to increase arable land,Any strategy to increase arable land,and improve productivity & yieldand improve productivity & yield
on existing arable landon existing arable landshould receive research priority.should receive research priority.
Terra PretaTerra Pretaheavy Amazon clayCape Cod beach sand
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suck COsuck CO22
fixed intofixed into
transform intotransform into
boost soil fertilityboost soil fertility
photosynthesisphotosynthesis
restorerestore Soil BiologySoil Biologygrow moregrow more
pyrolysispyrolysis
inoculateinoculate
out of Earth’s atmosphereout of Earth’s atmosphere
CarbohydratesCarbohydratesplant biomassplant biomass
BiocharBiocharsequestered carbonsequestered carbon
positive positive feedbackfeedback
looploop
Can this work Can this work in our “temperate” zone?in our “temperate” zone?
our question is:our question is:
click tocontinue
ConfrontingConfrontingClimate ChangeClimate Change