How did the native Amazon tribes create these How did the native Amazon tribes create these remarkably fertile and productive soils?remarkably fertile and productive soils?

Small PatchesSmall Patches• average: 20 hectares (50 acres)average: 20 hectares (50 acres)• 350 hectares (865 acres) reported350 hectares (865 acres) reported • near settlements & on bluffsnear settlements & on bluffs• embedded pottery sherdsembedded pottery sherds• animal & fish bones, cultural debrisanimal & fish bones, cultural debris

18791879: explorer Herbert Smith : explorer Herbert Smith tales of Amazon in tales of Amazon in Scribner's MonthlyScribner's Monthly: :

““extraordinary fecundity of cane fields… extraordinary fecundity of cane fields… ““stalks ten feet high… big as a wrist…stalks ten feet high… big as a wrist…"rich ‘"rich ‘terra pretaterra preta’… best in Amazon…’… best in Amazon…““fine, dark loam… often two feet thick" fine, dark loam… often two feet thick"

High Carbon (SOM) contentHigh Carbon (SOM) contentup to 9%up to 9%compared with .5% in other soilscompared with .5% in other soilssometimes over 20%sometimes over 20%one to two meters deepone to two meters deep

Local farmers prize Local farmers prize terra pretaterra preta• dug up and sold as potting soildug up and sold as potting soil• yields up to three fold as great as yields up to three fold as great as

surrounding infertile tropical soilssurrounding infertile tropical soils• sustained fertility in intensive usesustained fertility in intensive use

Mystery Soil of the AmazonMystery Soil of the Amazon

High Microbial activityHigh Microbial activity““microbial reef”microbial reef”nitrogenous bacteria (nitrogen fixing)nitrogenous bacteria (nitrogen fixing)

High nutrient contentHigh nutrient contentCalcium & PhosphorusCalcium & PhosphorusNitrogenNitrogenCation Exchange Capacity (CEC)Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

18671867: Ballard S. Dunn, : Ballard S. Dunn, Confederate exileConfederate exilebook:book: Brazil: Home for SouthernersBrazil: Home for Southernerslauds high fertility of Amazon dark soil lauds high fertility of Amazon dark soil

Amazon Basin, BrazilAmazon Basin, Brazil““dark earth” dark earth” (Portuguese)(Portuguese)CharcoalCharcoal

Conservation GrasslandConservation GrasslandMinnesotaMinnesota

Age: 800-4000 yearsAge: 800-4000 yearsradio-carbon dating (charcoal)radio-carbon dating (charcoal)recent research: 6000 yearsrecent research: 6000 years

Terra Preta de IndioTerra Preta de IndioTerra PretaTerra PretaSoil MineralsSoil Minerals

CarbonCarbon

Terra PretaTerra Preta FerralsolFerralsol

Made from Ferralsol or AcrisolMade from Ferralsol or Acrisol• predominant soils in Amazonpredominant soils in Amazon• acidic, notoriously infertileacidic, notoriously infertile• poor nutrient capacitypoor nutrient capacity

Aerial SurveysAerial Surveys• up to 10% of total land areaup to 10% of total land area• able to feed 5-10 million peopleable to feed 5-10 million people

reduced carbonreduced carbon

19661966:: Wim Sombroek Wim Sombroek (Dutch;1944-2003)(Dutch;1944-2003)published his book:published his book: Amazon SoilsAmazon Soilsfirst scientific study of first scientific study of terra pretaterra preta

19921992: Sombroek Sombroek publishes his first bookpublishes his first bookon on terra pretaterra preta for carbon sequestrationfor carbon sequestration

20022002: SombroekSombroek forms forms Terra Preta NovaTerra Preta Nova to use char on farms as a carbon sink to use char on farms as a carbon sink

20072007:: first international biochar conference first international biochar conference

How have these remarkable soils sustained their How have these remarkable soils sustained their fertility and productivity for five centuries?fertility and productivity for five centuries?

What can we learn from these remarkable soils to What can we learn from these remarkable soils to sustain soil fertility and productivity today?sustain soil fertility and productivity today?

Can this method to create tropical soils provide Can this method to create tropical soils provide insights to improve temperate climate soils?insights to improve temperate climate soils?

Can this method to sequester carbon in soil help Can this method to sequester carbon in soil help us reverse global warming and climate change?us reverse global warming and climate change?

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is biochar a nutrient?is biochar a nutrient?

Biochar is a Biochar is a spongesponge to hold water & nutrients,to hold water & nutrients,

and a and a substratesubstrateto provide habitat & housing to provide habitat & housing

for microbesfor microbes

Terra PretaTerra PretaIncreased FertilityIncreased Fertility

biocharbiocharacrisolacrisoltypical Amazon soiltypical Amazon soil

infertileinfertile

terra pretaterra preta

In normal soil, biochar breaks down very slowly In normal soil, biochar breaks down very slowly (oxidation,weathering & digestion)(oxidation,weathering & digestion)

– – over centuries, rather than monthsover centuries, rather than months

Biochar isn’t consumed by soil lifeBiochar isn’t consumed by soil life

Adding only biochar to soil Adding only biochar to soil retards plant growth retards plant growth for up to two yearsfor up to two years

Biochar freshly made is sterile,Biochar freshly made is sterile,with no biological activitywith no biological activity

–– no microbesno microbes

Fertilizers must be added Fertilizers must be added with biocharwith biochar

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• higher Phosphorus & Calcium higher Phosphorus & Calcium • higher Nitrogenhigher Nitrogen• increased nutrient availabilityincreased nutrient availability• lower aciditylower acidity• higher pH bufferinghigher pH buffering• water retentionwater retention• physical structure physical structure • biological habitat (microflora & fauna)biological habitat (microflora & fauna)

cation exchange capacity increased (Glaser)water-holding capacity 18% increase (Glaser)

biomass growth 266% increase (Steiner 2nd year)324% increase (Kishimoto & Sugiura)

plant nitrogen uptake doubled (Steiner)farm chemical runoff reduced (Yelverton)

Global ResearchGlobal Research

biochar benefitsbiochar benefits

20012001

Terra PretaTerra Preta

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Christoph Steiner1; W. G. Teixeira2; Johannes Lehmann3; W. Zech1

1 Institute of Soil Science, Univ. of Bayreuth, Germany 2 Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental, Manaus, Brazil 3 Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell Univ., USA

267%267%

881%881%

366%366%

3-Year Field Trials3-Year Field TrialsResearchResearch

Terra PretaTerra Preta

Rice & SorghumRice & Sorghum

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NPKNPK

biocharbiochar++

NPKNPK

controlcontrol

NPKNPK

biocharbiochar++

NPKNPK

Effect of bark biochar and fertilizerEffect of bark biochar and fertilizeron plant growth and soil propertieson plant growth and soil properties

in south Sumatrain south SumatraYamato 2004 unpublished

controlcontrol

Bark Biochar & FertilizerBark Biochar & FertilizerResearchResearch

Terra PretaTerra Preta

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