Provides a comprehensive review of our current understanding of these fascinating soils: their origin, properties, and management through time.
From the reviews: "Two symposia on the Amazonian Dark Earths were held in 2001, and these were followed in 2002 by the First International Workshop on the subject in Manaus and Santerem, Brazil. ! The Workshop succeeded in its aims of bringing a great deal of information from disparate fields of research to a wide international audience. The editors ! provide a ! comprehensive view of current knowledge, understanding, methods of research, and prospects for land management." (R. Webster, European Journal of Soil Science, Vol. 56, 2005) "Amazonian Dark Earths ! represents the state of the art in the study of archaeological sediments in the Amazon basin. ! The volume, composed of 23 chapters, explores diverse aspects of the origins, properties, and management of Amazonian dark earths (ADE) ! . This volume is a critical contribution to ADE research and of great relevance to archaeology, soil science, and contemporary development. ! the editors and contributors should be congratulated for establishing the benchmark for ADE studies." (Michael J. Heckenberger, Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 61, 2005)