scholarly journals Anthropogenic Soils Promote Biodiversity in Amazonian Rainforests

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilian C. Demetrio ◽  
Ana C. Conrado ◽  
Agno Acioli ◽  
Alexandre Casadei Ferreira ◽  
Marie L.C. Bartz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Loss ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Soil Invertebrate ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Anthropogenic Soils ◽  
Soil Biological Activity ◽  
Amazonian Dark Earths ◽  
Unique Species ◽  
Anthropic Soils

AbstractAmazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are fertile anthropic soils found throughout Amazonia, resulting from long-term occupation by pre-Columbian societies. Although the chemistry of these soils is well known, their biodiversity, particularly soil invertebrate communities have been neglected. To address this, we characterised soil macroinvertebrate communities and their activities in ADEs, comparing them with adjacent reference soils under forests and agriculture, at nine archaeological sites. We found 667 morphospecies and a tenacious pre-Columbian biodiversity footprint, with 40% of species found exclusively in ADEs. Soil biological activity was higher in ADEs than in adjacent soils, and associated with higher biomass and richness of organisms known to engineer the ecosystem. We show that these habitats have unique species pools, but that contemporary land-use causes nutrient loss and threatens their diversity. Both past and present human activities alter biodiversity and its distribution in Amazonia, and further efforts are needed to recognize and preserve these ADEs and their biodiversity.

scholarly journals Amazonian dark earths in the fertile floodplains of the Amazon River, Brazil: an example of non-intentional formation of anthropic soils in the Central Amazon region

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Santana Macedo ◽  
Wenceslau Geraldes Teixeira ◽  
Hedinaldo Narciso Lima ◽  
Adriana Costa Gil de Souza ◽  
Francisco Weliton Rocha Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Amazon River ◽  
Soil Profiles ◽  
Alluvial Soils ◽  
Amazonian Dark Earths ◽  
Alluvial Floodplains ◽  
Total P ◽  
Anthropic Soils

ABSTRACT Amazonian dark earths (ADEs) are fertile soils created by pre-Columbian Amerindian societies of the Amazon Basin. However, it is still not clear whether these soils were produced intentionally to improve infertile Amazonian upland soils or if they resulted from the accumulation of organic matter from sedentary settlements. This study characterizes the ADEs found in the naturally fertile alluvial floodplains of the Amazon River in the Central Brazilian Amazon according to total, exchangeable, and available contents of elements and organic carbon in soil profiles. ADEs contained higher levels of available elements and total P, Ca, Zn, and Cu. High total Cr, Ni, Co, and V content in these soils indicate that mafic minerals contributed to their composition, while higher contents of P, Zn, Ba, and Sr indicate anthropic enrichment. The presence of ADEs in floodplain areas strongly indicates non-intentional anthropic fertilization of the alluvial soils, which naturally contain levels of P, Ca, Zn, and Cu higher than those needed to cultivate common plants. The presence of archaeological sites in the floodplains also shows that pre-Columbian populations lived in these regions as well as on bluffs above the Amazon River.

Preparation And elemental analysis of ancient fibers

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 410-411
Author(s):  
Allen Angel ◽  
Kathryn A. Jakes
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Energy Dispersive ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Backscattered Electron ◽  
Electron Imaging

Fabrics recovered from archaeological sites often are so badly degraded that fiber identification based on physical morphology is difficult. Although diagenetic changes may be viewed as destructive to factors necessary for the discernment of fiber information, changes occurring during any stage of a fiber's lifetime leave a record within the fiber's chemical and physical structure. These alterations may offer valuable clues to understanding the conditions of the fiber's growth, fiber preparation and fabric processing technology and conditions of burial or long term storage (1).Energy dispersive spectrometry has been reported to be suitable for determination of mordant treatment on historic fibers (2,3) and has been used to characterize metal wrapping of combination yarns (4,5). In this study, a technique is developed which provides fractured cross sections of fibers for x-ray analysis and elemental mapping. In addition, backscattered electron imaging (BSI) and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDS) are utilized to correlate elements to their distribution in fibers.

Effects of Long Term Application of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Soil Enzymes

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2608-1612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Dora Samuel ◽  
Simona Bungau ◽  
Delia Mirela Tit ◽  
Carmen Elena Melinte (Frunzulica) ◽  
Lavinia Purza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Enzymes ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Enzymatic Activities ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Soil Biological Activity ◽  
Organic And Mineral Fertilizers

Long term productivity and conservation of soils is critical for sustaining agricultural ecosystems. The specific objective of the work reported was to determine the effects of long term application of organic and mineral fertilizers on soil enzyme activity as an index of soil biology and biochemistry. Three key soil enzymes involved in intracellular metabolism of microorganisms and two soil enzymes involved in phosphorus metabolism were selected. Actual and potential dehydrogenase, catalase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were determined in the 0-20 cm layer of an eroded soil submitted to a complex fertilization experiment. Results showed that addition of mineral fertilizers to organic (green manure and farmyard manure) fertilizers led to a significant increase in each activity because of increased plant biomass production which upon incorporation stimulates soil biological activity. The enzymatic indicators of soil quality calculated from the values of enzymatic activities depending on the kind of fertilizers showed that by the determination of enzymatic activities valuable information can be obtained regarding fertility status of soils. A weak positive correlation between enzymatic indicators of soil quality and maize yield was established. The yield data demonstrate the superiority of farmyard manure which provided greater stability in crop production. Substantial improvement in soil biological activity due to application of organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers contribute in maintaining the productivity and soil health.

scholarly journals Can Long-Term Experiments Predict Real Field N and P Balance and System Sustainability? Results from Maize, Winter Wheat, and Soybean Trials Using Mineral and Organic Fertilisers

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1472
Author(s):  
Ilaria Piccoli ◽  
Felice Sartori ◽  
Riccardo Polese ◽  
Maurizio Borin ◽  
Antonio Berti
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Nutrient Balance ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Nutrient Loss ◽  
Real Field ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Organic Fertiliser ◽  
Long Term Experiments ◽  
P Balance

Agri-environmental indicators such as nutrient balance may play a key role in soil and water quality monitoring, although short-term experiments might be unable to capture the sustainability of cropping systems. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: (i) to evaluate the reliability of long-term experimental N and P balance estimates to predict real field (RF) (i.e., short-term transitory) conditions; and (ii) to compare the sustainability of short- and long-term experiments. The LTE-based predictions showed that crops are generally over-fertilised in RF conditions, particularly maize. Nutrient balance predictions based on the LTE data tended to be more optimistic than those observed under RF conditions, which are often characterised by lower outputs; in particular, 13, 44, and 47% lower yields were observed for winter wheat, maize, and soybean, respectively, under organic management. The graphical evaluation of N and P use efficiency demonstrated the benefit of adopting crop rotation practices and the risk of nutrient loss when liquid organic fertiliser was applied on a long-term basis. In conclusion, LTE predictions may depend upon specific RF conditions, representing potential N and P use efficiencies that, in RF, may be reduced by crop yield-limiting factors and the specific implemented crop sequence.

scholarly journals Ecological effects of ocean acidification and habitat complexity on reef-associated macroinvertebrate communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1775) ◽  
pp. 20132479 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Fabricius ◽  
G. De'ath ◽  
S. Noonan ◽  
S. Uthicke
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Habitat Complexity ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Ecological Effects ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Dead Coral ◽  
Marine Communities

The ecological effects of ocean acidification (OA) from rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) on benthic marine communities are largely unknown. We investigated in situ the consequences of long-term exposure to high CO 2 on coral-reef-associated macroinvertebrate communities around three shallow volcanic CO 2 seeps in Papua New Guinea. The densities of many groups and the number of taxa (classes and phyla) of macroinvertebrates were significantly reduced at elevated CO 2 (425–1100 µatm) compared with control sites. However, sensitivities of some groups, including decapod crustaceans, ascidians and several echinoderms, contrasted with predictions of their physiological CO 2 tolerances derived from laboratory experiments. High CO 2 reduced the availability of structurally complex corals that are essential refugia for many reef-associated macroinvertebrates. This loss of habitat complexity was also associated with losses in many macroinvertebrate groups, especially predation-prone mobile taxa, including crustaceans and crinoids. The transition from living to dead coral as substratum and habitat further altered macroinvertebrate communities, with far more taxa losing than gaining in numbers. Our study shows that indirect ecological effects of OA (reduced habitat complexity) will complement its direct physiological effects and together with the loss of coral cover through climate change will severely affect macroinvertebrate communities in coral reefs.

Soil organic carbon sequestration potential for Canadian Agricultural Ecoregions calculated using the Introductory Carbon Balance Model

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Bolinder ◽  
O. Andrén ◽  
T. Kätterer ◽  
L -E Parent
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Carbon Balance ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Biological Activity ◽  
Sequestration Potential

The potential for storage of atmospheric CO2-C as soil organic C (SOC) in agroecosystems depends largely on soil biological activity and the quantity and quality of annual C inputs to soil. In this study we used the Introductory Carbon Balance Model (ICBM) approach driven by daily standard weather station data, specific soil properties and crop characteristics at the scale of Canadian agricultural ecoregions. The objectives were to calculate a climate-dependent soil biological activity parameter representative for annual agricultural crop production systems (re_crop) and to estimate the effect of fallow (re_fallow). These parameters are based on the daily product of soil temperature and stored water that influence biological activity in the arable layer, and are used to adjust the decomposition rates of the ICBM SOC pools. We also tested re_crop and re_fallow on SOC stock change data for different site and treatment combinations from long-term field experiments located in some of the ecoregions. An re_crop value of 0.95 for western ecoregions was on average 0.23 units lower than that of the eastern ecoregions, indicating a lower decomposition rate of SOC. Although the estimated annual C inputs to soil for small-grain cereals were on average ≈7.5% higher in the eastern ecoregions (305 vs. 285 g C m-2 yr-1), the overall results suggest that the western ecoregions would have a greater potential to maintain high SOC levels in the long term. However, these parameters varied between ecoregions and, consequently, the SOC sequestration potential was not always higher for the western ecoregions. The effect of fallow was on average ≈0.04, i.e., SOC decomposed slightly faster under fallow. Predictions for 24 out of 33 site and treatment combinations across Canada were significantly improved (P = 0.003), compared with a previous application with the ICBM that did not differentiate between crops and fallow. The methodology used here enabled us to examine regional differences in the potential for SOC sequestration as a balance between annual C inputs to soil and soil biological activity. Key words: Annual C inputs, climate, fallow, soil biological activity, agroecosystems

The micropolitics of public archaeology: Working with the ejido in Michoacán, Mexico

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna S Cohen ◽  
Rodrigo Solinis-Casparius
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Interpersonal Relations ◽  
Policy Science ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
Political Theater ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Cultural Patrimony ◽  
Western Mexico ◽  
Local Practices

Approximately 90% of Mexican archaeological sites are on communal ejido lands and yet the Mexican Constitution stipulates that all cultural heritage is the property of the federal government. Considering this disconnect between federal and local practices, how can archaeologists work with ejido communities to help preserve cultural patrimony? This article explores the micropolitics associated with archaeological fieldwork on communal ejido lands in Western Mexico. We show how long-standing practices based on local histories, community political theater, and interpersonal relations shape fieldwork and cultural conservation initiatives in important and unintended ways. In our study near the site of Angamuco, Michoacán, we draw upon ethnographic and archival research and outreach projects over five field seasons, and address the tensions that emerge when informal micropolitical and formal top–down sociopolitical practices interface. We show how aspects of a policy science approach are appropriate for long-term community-supported archaeology and cultural heritage management.

scholarly journals Multidisciplinary Research of Sites and Materials of the Baraba Forest-Steppe in Holocene: To the 45th Anniversary of the West-Siberian Archaeological Detachment of the SB RAS

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 18-43
Author(s):  
L. N. Mylnikova ◽  
L. S. Kobeleva ◽  
M. S. Nesterova
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Physics ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
State University ◽  
The West ◽  
45Th Anniversary ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Close Cooperation ◽  
Almost All

Purpose. We show the main directions of work of the West Siberian archaeological detachment (team) of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS, demonstrate the methods used and present the results and the possibilities of their interpretation. Results. In 2018, the West Siberian archaeological detachment celebrates the 45th anniversary of its formation. The long-term head of the team is academician V. I. Molodin. All studies are carried out within the framework of a multidisciplinary approach starting from the search for archaeological objects (sites Tartas-1, Vengerovo-2, -2A, -6, Staryi Tartas-5, Ust’-Tartas-1,-2; Chicha-1, Vengerovo-6 and others) to their laboratory investigation. We widely apply a range of analytical methods in all of our activities including almost all stages of research: from the search for archaeological sites to their processing in close cooperation with various scientists. We collaborate with specialists from the Institute of Geology and Mineralogy SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; the Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; the Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; the Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; Novosibirsk National Research State University, Novosibirsk, Russia; the Center of Collective Use (CCU) “Geochronology of Cenozoic”, Novosibirsk, Russia; Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Ludwig-Maximilian Munich Institute, Munich, Germany; the Center of Archaeology of Kurt Engelhorn, Mannheim, Germany and others. Conсlusion. Studies of the West Siberian archaeological detachment, which were carried out over the recent two decades, have provided new data that develop existing points of view, clarify existing concepts or allow to build new concepts of historical and cultural processes. It is obvious that the modern paradigm of science requires participation of specialists in natural sciences at all stages of archaeological research.

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