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Rostain S, Dorison A, de Saulieu G, Prümers H, Le Pennec JL, Mejía Mejía F, Freire AM, Pagán-Jiménez JR, Descola P. Two thousand years of garden urbanism in the Upper Amazon. Science 2024; 383:183-189. [PMID: 38207020 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi6317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
A dense system of pre-Hispanic urban centers has been found in the Upano Valley of Amazonian Ecuador, in the eastern foothills of the Andes. Fieldwork and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) analysis have revealed an anthropized landscape with clusters of monumental platforms, plazas, and streets following a specific pattern intertwined with extensive agricultural drainages and terraces as well as wide straight roads running over great distances. Archaeological excavations date the occupation from around 500 BCE to between 300 and 600 CE. The most notable landscape feature is the complex road system extending over tens of kilometers, connecting the different urban centers, thus creating a regional-scale network. Such extensive early development in the Upper Amazon is comparable to similar Maya urban systems recently highlighted in Mexico and Guatemala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphen Rostain
- Archaeology of the Americas (UMR8096), French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Antoine Dorison
- Archaeology of the Americas (UMR8096), Paris-1 University, Paris, France
| | - Geoffroy de Saulieu
- Local Heritage, Environment and Globalization (UMR 208), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Paris, France
| | - Heiko Prümers
- Kommission für Archäologie Außereuropäischer Kulturen, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Le Pennec
- Geo-Ocean, Brest University, CNRS, Ifremer, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (UMR6538), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Plouzané, France
| | - Fernando Mejía Mejía
- Anthropology and Archaeology Department, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Philippe Descola
- Social Anthropology Laboratory, Collège de France, Paris Sciences et Lettres, Paris, France
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Conrado AC, Demetrio WC, Stanton DWG, Bartz MLC, James SW, Santos A, da Silva E, Ferreira T, Acioli ANS, Ferreira AC, Maia LS, Silva TAC, Lavelle P, Velasquez E, Tapia-Coral SC, Muniz AW, Segalla RF, Decaëns T, Nadolny HS, Peña-Venegas CP, Pasini A, de Oliveira Júnior RC, Kille P, Brown GG, Cunha L. Amazonian earthworm biodiversity is heavily impacted by ancient and recent human disturbance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165087. [PMID: 37379924 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of earthworms for soil formation, more is needed to know about how Pre-Columbian modifications to soils and the landscape. Gaining a deeper understanding is essential for comprehending the historical drivers of earthworm communities and the development of effective conservation strategies in the Amazon rainforest. Human disturbance can significantly impact earthworm diversity, especially in rainforest soils, and in the particular case of the Amazonian rainforest, both recent and ancient anthropic practices may be important. Amazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are fertile soils found throughout the Amazon Basin, created by sedentary habits and intensification patterns of pre-Colombian societies primarily developed in the second part of the Holocene period. We have sampled earthworm communities in three Brazilian Amazonian (ADEs) and adjacent reference soils (REF) under old and young forests and monocultures. To better assess taxonomic richness, we used morphology and the barcode region of the COI gene to identify juveniles and cocoons and delimit Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs). Here we suggest using Integrated Operational Taxonomical units (IOTUs) which combine both morphological and molecular data and provide a more comprehensive assessment of diversity, while MOTUs only rely on molecular data. A total of 970 individuals were collected, resulting in 51 taxonomic units (IOTUs, MOTUs, and morphospecies combined). From this total, 24 taxonomic units were unique to REF soils, 17 to ADEs, and ten were shared between both soils. The highest richness was found in old forest sites for ADEs (12 taxonomic units) and REFs (21 taxonomic units). The beta-diversity calculations reveal a high species turnover between ADEs and REF soils, providing evidence that ADEs and REFs possess distinct soil biota. Furthermore, results suggest that ADE sites, formed by Pre-Columbian human activities, conserve a high number of native species in the landscape and maintain a high abundance, despite their long-term nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Conrado
- Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Wilian C Demetrio
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | | | - Marie L C Bartz
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Samuel W James
- Maharishi International University, Fairfield, IA 52557, United States
| | - Alessandra Santos
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | | | - Talita Ferreira
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Agno N S Acioli
- Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, AM 69067-005, Brazil
| | - Alexandre C Ferreira
- Entomology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 81530-900 Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Lilianne S Maia
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Telma A C Silva
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Patrick Lavelle
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Cali 763537, Colombia
| | - Elena Velasquez
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Palmira 32 #12-00, Colombia
| | | | - Aleksander W Muniz
- Entomology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 81530-900 Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Manaus, AM 69010-970, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo F Segalla
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Thibaud Decaëns
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Herlon S Nadolny
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil
| | | | - Amarildo Pasini
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR 86057-970, Brazil
| | | | - Peter Kille
- Cardiff University, Cardiff CF103AT, United Kingdom
| | - George G Brown
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80035-050, Brazil; Embrapa Florestas, Colombo, PR 83411-000, Brazil
| | - Luís Cunha
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF374BD, United Kingdom.
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Schmidt MJ, Goldberg SL, Heckenberger M, Fausto C, Franchetto B, Watling J, Lima H, Moraes B, Dorshow WB, Toney J, Kuikuro Y, Waura K, Kuikuro H, Kuikuro TW, Kuikuro T, Kuikuro Y, Kuikuro A, Teixeira W, Rocha B, Honorato V, Tavares H, Magalhães M, Barbosa CA, da Fonseca JA, Mendes K, Alleoni LRF, Cerri CEP, Arroyo-Kalin M, Neves E, Perron JT. Intentional creation of carbon-rich dark earth soils in the Amazon. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh8499. [PMID: 37729404 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh8499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Fertile soil known as Amazonian dark earth is central to the debate over the size and ecological impact of ancient human populations in the Amazon. Dark earth is typically associated with human occupation, but it is uncertain whether it was created intentionally. Dark earth may also be a substantial carbon sink, but its spatial extent and carbon inventory are unknown. We demonstrate spatial and compositional similarities between ancient and modern dark earth and document modern Indigenous practices that enrich soil, which we use to propose a model for the formation of ancient dark earth. This comparison suggests that ancient Amazonians managed soil to improve fertility and increase crop productivity. These practices also sequestered and stored carbon in the soil for centuries, and we show that some ancient sites contain as much carbon as the above-ground rainforest biomass. Our results demonstrate the intentional creation of dark earth and highlight the value of Indigenous knowledge for sustainable rainforest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J Schmidt
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Laboratório de Estudos Interdisciplinares em Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Samuel L Goldberg
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Carlos Fausto
- National Museum/ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bruna Franchetto
- National Museum/ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jennifer Watling
- Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Wetherbee B Dorshow
- Puente Institute, Nederland, CO, USA
- Earth Analytic Inc., Santa Fe, NM, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Yamalui Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Kumessi Waura
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Huke Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Taku Wate Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Takumã Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Yahila Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | - Afukaka Kuikuro
- Kuikuro Indigenous Association of the Upper Xingu (AIKAX), Ipatse, MT, Brazil
| | | | - Bruna Rocha
- Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém, PA, Brazil
| | | | - Hugo Tavares
- Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Kelton Mendes
- Tapera - Grupo de Estudos em Arqueologia Amazônica, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Eduardo Neves
- Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - J Taylor Perron
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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