Dark Earth in the Upper Amazon

Abstract

Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE) or "terra preta" refers to organic-rich soils which have been documented in many areas within the Amazon rainforest of South America. A type of "super-midden", ADE is essentially a human-created A horizon, or anthrosol, built on top of existing nutrient-poor soils. Scholars debate, to some extent, whether they are the result of deliberate construction, or "anthropogenic", or merely an indirect benefit of living in villages and sharing a garbage dump, "anthropic". It was most likely a little of both.