Black Dirt Facts in Diseases, Guest LEcture by Harry Dobyns

Black Dirt Facts in Diseases Diseases Guest Lecture Guest Lecture
By Henry F. By Henry F. Dobyns Lecture 7, University of Arizona

Terra Terra Preta Preta Do Indio Do Indio
Source: Mann Source: Mann Science Science 9 August 2002: 920 9 August 2002: 920-923 923
- Dark isolated fertile earth in the rainforest which normally Dark isolated fertile earth in the rainforest which normally has red and yellow soils that are poor weathered highly has red and yellow soils that are poor weathered highly acidic and low in organize matter and essential nutrients acidic and low in organize matter and essential nutrients –oxisols oxisols in a wet desert.
- Instead of destroying the soil they improved it and we Instead of destroying the soil they improved it and we (science) still does not fully understand how they did it. (science) still does not fully understand how they did it.
- Slash and char Slash and char – instead of completely burning organic instead of completely burning organic matter to ash, ancient farmers burned it incompletely, matter to ash, ancient farmers burned it incompletely, creating charcoal, then stirred the charcoal into the soil. creating charcoal, then stirred the charcoal into the soil.
- They moved organic mixtures of soil and bacteria to new They moved organic mixtures of soil and bacteria to new areas where they created a first mix that served much like areas where they created a first mix that served much like a sour dough bread starter. Broken pots are a common a sour dough bread starter. Broken pots are a common
feature of black soil deposits.
ff.