Epilogue

Abstract

It seems clear that even after anthropogenic activities have ceased, the impacts of humans on soils can persist for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years. This is shown by the fact that ancient Hortic Anthrosols (e.g., garden and midden soils) and Pretic Anthrosols (i.e. Amazonian Dark Earth soils) have strongly influenced the colonization pattern of native plant species, and modern day crop production. On the other hand, soils created by human disturbance can be quite resilient. For example, certain urban and mine-related anthropogenic soils have rebounded to a quasi-natural state in ~60 years even without the application of reclamation methods.