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Soil Organic Matter Stability in Amazonian Dark Earths

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Book cover Amazonian Dark Earths

Summary and Conclusions

If human activities are indeed primarily responsible for the development of the high C contents in ADE, one might expect that cessation of these activities would result in reductions in organic matter content, and an eventual reversion to Ferralsols or whatever soil type makes up the surrounding context of Indian settlements. However, this appears not to be the case. The high SOM contents of ADE are remarkably persistent. This review showed that chemical recalcitrance of pyrogenic C is the main factor responsible for the high SOM stability of ADE. Physical protection of SOM within soil aggregates contributes only a minor part to SOM stability. Additionally, it was shown that not all SOM in ADE is stable. Instead, also a considerable part of SOM is readily mineralizable, thus providing plant nutrients and maintaining the nutrient cycle. This is strongly supported by the increased CEC of ADE also contributing to their sustainability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil Science and Soil Geography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

    Bruno Glaser, Georg Guggenberger & Wolfgang Zech

  2. Institute of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Georg Guggenberger

  3. Coordination of the Earth Science and Ecology, Museum Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, PA, Brazil

    Maria De Lourdes Ruivo

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  1. Bruno Glaser
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  2. Georg Guggenberger
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  4. Maria De Lourdes Ruivo
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cornell University, USA

    Johannes Lehmann

  2. Museu goeldi, Brazil

    Dirse C. Kern

  3. University of Bayreuth, Germany

    Brund Glaser

  4. University of Southern Illinois, USA

    William I. Wodos

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Glaser, B., Guggenberger, G., Zech, W., Ruivo, M.D.L. (2003). Soil Organic Matter Stability in Amazonian Dark Earths. In: Lehmann, J., Kern, D.C., Glaser, B., Wodos, W.I. (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2597-1_8

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