Many aspects of the origin of Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE) are still unclear. The analysis of Amazonian anthropogenic soils indicates that the alterations caused by human actions, such as the incorporation of organic residues and the effects of fire on the upper horizons influenced many of the chemical and physical characteristics of these soils (e.g. Woods 1995; Kern 1996; Glaser 1999; Woods and McCann 1999; Ruivo and Cunha 2003; Ruivo et al. 2004). Ruivo et al. (2004) show that the microbial biodiversity is higher in ADEs than in Yellow Latosols. ADE soils are more aggregated than Yellow Latosols, a factor that facilitates soil aeration, root distribution, water retention and movement.
Soil is an important habitat for microorganisms. The biology of ADE soils is important. Little is currently known about the abundance, activity, and diversity of organisms extant in ADE. So, we have much to learn (e.g. Thies and Suzuki 2003; Tsai et al. this volume, Chapter 15). The study of local knowledge of soil and land management in an ecological perspective in the Amazon Region is very important. The soil microbiological relationships are important for soil fertility management. Analysis of the past and present can help make recommendations on how ethnopedological studies can contribute to enhanced sustainable land use and management in the Amazon (Lehmann et al. 2003; WinklerPrins and Barrera-Bassols 2004; Silva and Rebellato 2004; Thies and Suzuki 2003).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Glaser B (1999) Eigenschaften und stabilität des humuskörpers der Indianerschwarzerden Amazoniens. Bayreuther Bodenkundliche Berichte 68, Bayreuth, p 196
Glaser B, Guggenberger G, Zech W, Ruivo ML (2004) Soil organic matter stability in Amazonian Dark Earths. In: Lehmann J, Kern DC, Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: Origin, Properties, Management. The Netherlands, Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp 141–158
Jenkinson DS, Ladd JN (1981) Microbial biomass in soil: measurement and turnover. In: Paul EA, Ladd JN (eds) Soil Biochemistry. New York, Marcel Dekker, 5:415–471
Joergensen RG (1995) The Fumigation Incubation Method. In: Alef K, Nannipieri N (eds) Methods in Applied Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry. London: Academic, pp 376–414
Kern DC (1996) Geoquímica e pedogeoquímica em sítios arqueológicos com Terra Preta na Floresta Nacional de Caxiuanã (Portel- PA), Belém: Universidade Federal do Pará/ Centro de Geociências/Curso de Pós-graduação em Geologia e Geoquímica, Tese de Doctorado
Lehmann J, Kern DC, German L, McCann J, Martins GC, Moreira A (2003) Soil fertility and production potential In: Lehmann J, Kern DC, Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: Origin, Properties, Management. The Netherlands, Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp 105–124
Lima HN (2001) Gênese, química, mineralogia e micromorfologia de solos da Amazônia Ocidental. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa-MG
Lovell WG, Dobyns HF, Denevan WM, Woods WI, Mann CC (2003) 1491: In Search of Aboriginal America. Journal of the Southwest
Madari BE, Sombroek WG, Woods WI (2004) Research in anthropogenic dark earth soils: could it be a solution for sustainable agricultural development in the Amazon? In: Glaser B, Woods WI (2004) Amazonian Dark Earths; exploration in space and time. Springer, Berlin, pp 169–180
Ruivo MLP, Cunha ES (2003) Mineral and organic components in archaeological black earth and yellow latosol in Caxiaunã, Amazon, Brazil. In: Tiezzi E, Brebbia CA, Usó JL (eds) Ecosystems and Sustainable Development I V, v 2
Ruivo ML, Cunha ES, Kern DC (2004) Organic matter in archaeological black earths and yellow latosol in the Caxiuanã, Amazônia, Brasil. In: Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: Explorations in Space and Time. Heidelberg: Springer
Silva FA, Rebellato L (2004) Use of space and terra preta formation: the Asurini do Xingu case study. In: Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Amazonian Dark Earth: Exploration in Space and Time. Springer, Berlin: Heildelberg New York, pp 159–167
Sombroek WG, Kern DC, Rodrigues T, Cravo MS, Jarbas T, Woods WI, Glaser B (2002) Terra Preta and Terra Mulata: Pre-Columbian Amazon kitchen middens and agricultural fields, their sustainability, and their replication. 17th World Congress of Soil Science. Bangkok, Thailand
Sombroek W, Vances ED, Brookes PC (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 19:703–707
Thies J, Suzuki K (2003) Amazonian Dark Earths: biological measurements. In: Lehmann J, Kern DC, Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: Origin, Properties, Management. The Netherlands, Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp 287–332
Winklerprins AMGA, Barrera-Bassols N (2004) Latin American ethnopedology: a vision of its past, present, and future. Agriculture and Human Values, 21(2–3):139–156
Woods Wl (1995) Comments on the black earths of Amazonia. Schoolmaster AF (ed) Yearbook of the Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers 18. Denton: Applied Geography Conferences, pp 159–165
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
de LP Ruivo, M., do Amarante, C., de LS Oliveira, M., Muniz, I., dos Santos, D. (2009). Microbial Population and Biodiversity in Amazonian Dark Earth Soils. In: Woods, W.I., Teixeira, W.G., Lehmann, J., Steiner, C., WinklerPrins, A., Rebellato, L. (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: Wim Sombroek's Vision. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9031-8_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9031-8_19
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-9030-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-9031-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)