characterization and performance of amazonian dark earths ... files/jlehmann.pdf · amazonian dark...

Characterization and Performance of Amazonian Dark Earths –

Opportunities for Future Soil Management

Johannes LehmannJohannes LehmannDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell UniversityDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University

Upland soils in the Amazon Basin

Constraints:Constraints:Rapid nutrient leaching andRapid nutrient leaching andmineralizationmineralization of organic matterof organic matter

PP--fixation to Fefixation to Fe--, Al, Al--oxidesoxides

Low total K, Ca, Mg contentsLow total K, Ca, Mg contents

Al toxicity possible through low pHAl toxicity possible through low pH

Extremely fertile soils in the midst of infertile Oxisols

Oxisol

© G

lase

r

“Terra Preta de Indio”

Amazonian Dark Earths – soil fertility

High soil fertilityHigh soil fertility

© J.

Maj

or, 2

003

“Terra Preta de Indio”Oxisol

Amazonian Dark Earths – highly valued resource

© W

oods

FarmingOrnamentals

Amazonian Dark Earths– soil fertility

High organic matter contents (to 150 mg C gHigh organic matter contents (to 150 mg C g--11))High nutrient availability (e.g., P (>300 mg kgHigh nutrient availability (e.g., P (>300 mg kg--

11) and Ca) ) and Ca) HighHigh cationcation exchange capacity (CEC)exchange capacity (CEC)

Amazonian Dark Earths– nutrient contents

Cluster A

Cluster B

Terra PretaNon-anthropogenic soil

Cluster A

Cluster B


Cluster A

Cluster B


Cluster A

Cluster B

ADE soilNon - anthropogenic soil

Cluster A

Cluster B


Cluster A

Cluster B


Cluster A

Cluster B


Cluster A

Cluster B

ADE soilNon - anthropogenic soil

ADE soil Non-ADE soil

Madari et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) Kluwer Ac, pp. 407-432.


Greater increase Greater increase in available in available nutrients than nutrients than total nutrientstotal nutrients

Diff

eren

ce fr

om a

djac

ent F

erra

lsol

[log

%]

100

1000

10000

100000Total nutrientsAvailable nutrients

N[1]

N N[2]

P P P P P[2]

P P[3]

P[4]

P P P[5]

S S S[1]

Ca Ca[2]

nd nd nd

Lehmann et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) Kluwer Ac, pp. 105-124.


Diff

eren

ce fr

om a

djac

ent F

erra

lsol

[%]

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Total nutrientsAvailable nutrients

K K[3]

Mg Mg[3]

Fe Fe[3]

Zn Zn[3]

Mn Mn[3]

Cu Cu[3]

ndnd

Lehmann et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) Kluwer Ac, pp. 105-124.

Amazonian Dark Earths– N availability

Incubation [days]0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160C

umul

ativ

e N

min

eral

izat

ion

[mg

N g

-1 N

]

0

20

40

60

80

100sandy Amazonian Dark Earthsandy Ferralsolclayey Amazonian Dark Earthclayey Ferralsol

14.7

15.4

15.3

10.3

C/N ratioLow N availabilityLow N availability

Glaser, 1999, in Lehmann et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) KluwerAc, pp. 105-124.

Amazonian Dark Earths– Biological N2Fixation (Central Amazonia)

Low N availabilityLow N availabilityHigh P, Ca, and micronutrient availabilityHigh P, Ca, and micronutrient availability

Parameter ADE Ferralsol

Leguminosae (% of all trees) 14 4

Foliar N conc. (mg g-1) 26 29

Foliar δ15N (‰) 1.75 3.59

N and N isotopes from potentially N2-fixing trees Gehring, 2003, PhD thesis, annex 9.

Amazonian Dark Earths– nutrient leaching

Days10 20 30 40 50

Cal

cium

cum

ulat

ive

leac

hing

[kg

ha-1

]

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Ferralsol

Terra Preta

Ca15

33

Available Ca:(Mehlich-3)

Lehmann et al., 2003, Plant and Soil 249: 343-357

High nutrient High nutrient availability at availability at very low very low leaching!leaching!

Amazonian Dark Earths–production potential

AmazonianDark Earths

LRN*LRN

LRNRPE*

LRN NA RULRN

LRNLRN RU

LRN NA RULRN

LRNLRN

LRN

Yie

ld [g

pot

-1]

020406080

100120140160180200

0 0 0

Transitional Soils

Ferralsols

a ab

b

German, 2002, in Lehmann et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) Kluwer Ac, pp. 105-124.

Higher maize Higher maize yields in ADE yields in ADE than adjacent than adjacent soils soils -- but large but large variabilityvariability

(N=3)

Crop yields are higher on Amazonian Dark Earths than adjacent soils.

Amazonian Dark Earths–production potential

Crop Location ADE Ferralsol--------------[Mg ha-1]------------

Rice Apui 1.9-3.4 1.5-1.8

Beans Apui 0.1-1.9 0.3-0.8

Corn Apui 2.2-4.7 3.5

Martins, unpubl., in Lehmann et al., 2003, in: Amazonian Dark Earths (Lehmann, Kern, Glaser, Woods, eds.) Kluwer Ac, pp. 105-124.

Opportunities for Science

Life in preLife in pre--ColumbianColumbian AmazoniaAmazonia

Basic biogeochemistry of soilsBasic biogeochemistry of soils

Soil managementSoil management

Amazonian Dark Earths– Black CarbonLarge proportion of Black-Carbon in soil organic matter of ADE

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 100 200 300

Black carbon [g kg-1 C]

Terra Preta

Ferralsol

Glaser et al., 2001, Naturwissenschaften 88, 37-41

Dep

th [

cm]

Amazonian Dark Earths– Black Carbon

What is Black Carbon?What is Black Carbon?

What does Black Carbon?What does Black Carbon?

Amazonian Dark Earths–Black Carbon

Schmidt and Noack, 2000, Global Biogeochemical Cycles 14, 777-793

From charcoal to graphite

Amazonian Dark Earths– Black Carbon

Large portion of Carbon and Black Carbon in “light organic matter” fractions of Terra PretaFraction Density Terra Preta Ferralsol

[g cm-3] --------------------[%]--------------------

CarbonLight <2 35 28Medium 2-2.4 36 25Heavy >2.4 29 48

Black carbonLight <2 72 32Medium 2-2.4 12 22Heavy >2.4 16 46

(N=5) Glaser et al., 2000, Org Geochem 31, 669-678

Functions of biomass-derived Black Carbon (=charcoal)

Improving nutrient retention?Improving nutrient retention?Increasing nutrient availability and Increasing nutrient availability and

crop yields?crop yields?Enhancing carbon sequestration?Enhancing carbon sequestration?

…as in ADE?

Black Carbon Management Systems

…evidence so far:

Better nutrient retention.Better nutrient retention.Greater nutrient availability and crop Greater nutrient availability and crop

yields at high application rates or with yields at high application rates or with additional fertilization.additional fertilization.

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.


Black carbon additions [Mg C ha-1]0 50 100 150 200Pl

ant b

iom

ass

prod

uctio

n [%

of c

ontro

l]

0

100

200

300

400

500

Lehmann and Rondon, submitted


23

45

67

0 50 100Charcoal rate (g/kg soil)

(g/p

ot)

Optimum response curve

Biomass production of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (N=4)Rondon et al., in prep.

Nitr

ogen

sou

rce

(mg

pot-1

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

NdfSNdfA

Charcoal applied (g kg-1)

0 30 60 90

Nitr

ogen

sou

rce

(%)

0

20

40

60

80

100

c b aab

c ab

bc

a

a ab

a

ab cbc

Black Carbon Management Systems – BNF

BNF of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)determined by isotope dilution (N=4)

Rondon et al., in prep.


Multiple environmental and agricultural benefits

Sustainability of soil amelioration

Accountability of carbon sequestration

Combination with existing land management systems (e.g. slash-and-burn) as well as charcoal and energy production systems

characterization and performance of amazonian dark earths ... files/jlehmann.pdf · amazonian dark...

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