A new study reveals how, by cultivating fertile soil for farming, ancient Amazonians locked away thousands of tons of carbon that have stayed in the ground for centuries.
A new study reveals how, by cultivating fertile soil for farming, ancient Amazonians locked away thousands of tons of carbon that have stayed in the ground for centuries.
While the Amazon rainforest is rich in plant life, its soils are poorly suited to growing crops. In a few places, however, archaeologists have uncovered patches of black, fertile soil where ancient humans settled. Until now, it was unclear what role humans played in cultivating this “dark earth.”
For the new study, scientists studied the modern-day farming practices of Indigenous Kuikuro people in the southeastern Amazon, watching as they gathered piles of food scraps, allowed them decompose, and used them to enrich the soil. In some areas, farmers also spread ash or charcoal on the ground.
Read more at: Yale Environment 360
A Kuikuro village in the southeastern Amazon. (Photo Credit: Joshua Toney)
