Latin America

23 September 2023
By REBECCA DYER

For such a lush, verdant paradise, the Amazon rainforest's soil can be surprisingly barren. Yet mysteriously fertile "dark earth" called terra preta can be found in patches across hundreds of sites, the origins of which have sparked debate among scientists.

Now new research from the US and Brazil says ancient Amazonians intentionally enriched areas of the forest to nourish crops for centuries, locking up carbon in the process.

Modern indigenous groups still use these ancient soil secrets, which could inspire agricultural practices and efforts to mitigate climate change.

"Our results demonstrate the intentional creation of dark earth," the authors write, "highlighting how Indigenous knowledge can provide strategies for sustainable rainforest management and carbon sequestration."

Researchers had been working with Indigenous communities in the Amazon since the early 2000s, and those observations and data were analyzed alongside newer data from 2018 and 2019.

Upper Xingu River study area showing locations of the modern and historic Kuikuro villages and five archaeological sites

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/recipe-for-dark-earth-finally-uncovered-in-the-amazons-depths