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Amazonian Dark Earths

Arroyo-Kalin, M; (2017) Amazonian Dark Earths. In: nicosia, C and Stoops, G, (eds.) Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology. Wiley-Blackwell

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Abstract

Amazonian dark earths (ADEs) are expanses of pre‐Columbian anthropic soils mostly reported at, or close to, the land surface of Tertiary Age, nonflooding terrain of eastern and southern Amazonia. In the field, the first salient characteristic of ADE is strong melanization of the topsoil. A small number of soil micromorphological studies have been conducted on pre‐Columbian anthropic soil expanses from the Brazilian Amazon. Except where inputs of alluvial sediments directly affect the locale where an ADE expanse has formed, soil micromorphological studies suggest that thick melanized ADE layers are not the result of additions of mineral sediments of a different geological origin. All studies coincide that melanization is a result of the combined effect of intense staining with organic matter of the fine mineral fraction, coupled with the ubiquitous presence of microscopic charcoal fragments.

Type: Book chapter
Title: Amazonian Dark Earths
ISBN: 1118941055
ISBN-13: 9781118941058
DOI: 10.1002/9781118941065.ch33
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118941065.ch33
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Amazonian dark earths, microscopic charcoal fragments, pre‐Columbian anthropic soil, soil micromorphological studies
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Institute of Archaeology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Institute of Archaeology > Institute of Archaeology Gordon Square
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10024871
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