Amazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are unusually fertile soils characterised by elevated concentrations of microscopic charcoal particles, which confer their distinctive colouration. Frequent occurrences of pre-Columbian artefacts at ADE sites led to their ubiquitous classification as Anthrosols (soils of anthropic origin). However, it remains unclear how indigenous peoples created areas of high fertility in one of the most nutrient-impoverished environments on Earth. Here, we report new data from a well-studied ADE site in the Brazilian Amazon, which compel us to reconsider its anthropic origin. The amounts of phosphorus and calcium—two of the least abundant macronutrients in the region—are orders of magnitude higher in ADE profiles than in the surrounding soil. The elevated levels of phosphorus and calcium, which are often interpreted as evidence of human activity at other sites, correlate spatially with trace elements that indicate exogenous mineral sources rather than in situ deposition. Stable isotope ratios of neodymium, strontium, and radiocarbon activity of microcharcoal particles also indicate exogenous inputs from alluvial deposition of carbon and mineral elements to ADE profiles, beginning several thousands of years before the earliest evidence of soil management for plant cultivation in the region. Our data suggest that indigenous peoples harnessed natural processes of landscape formation, which led to the unique properties of ADEs, but were not responsible for their genesis. If corroborated elsewhere, this hypothesis would transform our understanding of human influence in Amazonia, opening new frontiers for the sustainable use of tropical landscapes going forward.

Maize plants have a high nitrogen (N) demand, and thus, the fertilizers’ sustainable management and the inoculation with N2-fixing bacteria are the alternatives to reduce fertilization cost and the environmental impacts with N fertilizers. Under no tillage system, the N2-fixing inoculant Azospirillum brasiliense effects were compared with mineral N fertilization for maize crop. The N fertilization treatments influenced all variables in the 2014/2015 season and the cob insertion, plant height, yield, and N concentration in leaves in the 2015/2016 season, suggesting that the N supply, either N mineral from A. brasiliense increased growth and yield of maize plants. The maize cultivars influenced all variables in the two seasons. There was no interaction effect of cultivars × N fertilization on the variables. Thus, the maize cultivars had similar performance regardless treatments. The inoculation with A. brasiliense increased maize yield compared with non-N-fertilized plants and the inoculation with Azospirillum at sowing + mineral N at topdress provided similar grain yield as mineral N at sowing and topdress for both cultivars.

The oxidation of atmospheric CH4 in upland soils is mostly mediated by uncultivated groups of microorganisms that have been identified solely by molecular markers, such as the sequence of the pmoA gene encoding the β-subunit of the particulate methane monooxygenase enzyme. The objective of this work was to compare the activity and diversity of methanotrophs in Amazonian Dark Earth soil (ADE, Hortic Anthrosol) and their adjacent non-anthropic soil. Secondly, the effect of land use in the form of manioc cultivation was examined by comparing secondary forest and plantation soils. CH4 oxidation potentials were measured and the structure of the methanotroph communities assessed by qPCR and amplicon pyrosequencing of pmoA genes. The oxidation potentials at low CH4 concentrations (10 ppm of volume) were relatively high in all the secondary forest sites of both ADE and adjacent soils. CH4 oxidation by the ADE soil only recently converted to a manioc plantation was also relatively high. In contrast, both the adjacent soils used for manioc cultivation and the ADE soil with a long history of agriculture displayed lower CH4 uptake rates. Amplicon pyrosequencing of pmoA genes indicated that USCα, Methylocystis and the tropical upland soil cluster (TUSC) were the dominant groups depending on the site. By qPCR analysis it was found that USCα pmoA genes, which are believed to belong to atmospheric CH4 oxidizers, were more abundant in ADE than adjacent soil. USCα pmoA genes were abundant in both forested and cultivated ADE soil, but were below the qPCR detection limit in manioc plantations of adjacent soil. The results indicate that ADE soils can harbor high abundances of atmospheric CH4 oxidizers and are potential CH4 sinks, but as in other upland soils this activity can be inhibited by the conversion of forest to agricultural plantations.

A mudança no uso da terra, aliada às práticas de manejo, contribui para as alterações entre as entradas e saídas de carbono do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dinâmica do carbono no solo em ecossistemas nativos e plantações florestais de Santa Catarina. O trabalho foi conduzido entre os meses de fevereiro e maio de 2007. As áreas avaliadas foram: Campo Nativo (CN); Floresta Ombrófila Mista (FOM); Reflorestamento de Eucalipto (RE) e Pinus (RP). Foram analisados os estoques de carbono, carbono na biomassa microbiana (CBM); respiração basal do solo (RBS) e quocientes microbiano e metabólico (qMic e qCO₂). As maiores concentrações de carbono foram encontradas na FOM e no CN, e os atributos bioquímicos indicam que o CN e a FOM possuem a melhor capacidade de armazenar carbono no solo, entre todos os sistemas de uso da terra analisados. Nos reflorestamentos de Eucalipto e Pinus, os altos índices de RBS, qCO₂ e as baixas concentrações de CBM sugerem que esses sistemas de uso da terra perdem mais CO₂ para atmosfera do que os ambientes nativos.

A criação de peixes em gaiolas flutuantes na Amazônia Ocidental é um assunto de interesse inclusive governamental, pois traz à discussão a possibilidade do uso sustentável de grandes corpos de água da bacia amazônica, podendo, assim, beneficiar populações ribeirinhas com geração de trabalho e renda. O tambaqui é umas das espécies mais indicadas para esse fim por ser um peixe onívoro, bem apreciado no mercado consumidor local, além da demanda crescente, devido à redução dos estoques naturais pela pesca extrativista e desmatamento da mata ciliar nos arredores das grandes cidades nortistas como Manaus. Entretanto, mais informações básicas sobre a criação da espécie em gaiolas de baixo volume ainda são necessárias para o aperfeiçoamento e avanço da atividade. O presente trabalho estudou os efeitos de quatro densidades de estocagem (10, 20, 30 e 40 peixes/m³) no crescimento e na incidência de parasitas, monogêneas, nas brânquias do tambaqui cultivado em gaiolas de baixo volume (1m³). O estudo pode contribuir com mais informações elementares para a exploração racional dos recursos naturais amazônicos, o tambaqui e os grandes corpos de água. Os resultados mostram que é possível aumentar a produção de biomassa de tambaqui em gaiolas de baixo volume de 1m³ aumentando-se a densidade de estocagem até 40 peixes/m³, sem prejuízos no crescimento e aumento de carga parasitária nas brânquias dos peixes.