In: Soil Ecology Research Developments ISBN 978-1-60021-971-9
Editors: Tian-Xiao Liu, pp.
© 2007 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Expert Commentary
SOIL CHARCOALAMENDMENTS MAINTAIN SOIL
FERTILITY AND ESTABLISH A CARBON SINK
– RESEARCH AND PROSPECTS
Christoph...
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In: Soil Ecology Research Developments ISBN 978-1-60021-971-9
Editors: Tian-Xiao Liu, pp.
© 2007 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Expert Commentary
SOIL CHARCOALAMENDMENTS MAINTAIN SOIL
FERTILITY AND ESTABLISH A CARBON SINK
– RESEARCH AND PROSPECTS
Christoph Steiner1
Institute of Soil Science and Soil Geography, University of Bayreuth,
95440 Bayreuth, Germany
CHARCOAL AS SOIL AMENDMENT
Sustaining soil fertility is a major agricultural constraint in the Amazon Basin (Tiessen, et
al.
, 1994), thus shifting cultivation accompanied with slash and burn agriculture is the
prevailing agricultural practice in the humid tropics.
In addition to the predominant and unproductive Ferralsols and Acrilols, an exceptional
dark soil is well known by the indigenous people and colonists for its sustained soil fertility.
According to its dark color and origin ,the soil was termed Terra Preta de Indio.
Smith
(1879) and Katzer (1903) were among the first who described the Terra Preta’s properties
and pres
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