Widespread Amazonian dark earth in the Xingu Indigenous Territory

Samuel L. Goldberg (), Morgan J. Schmidt, Joshua D. Himmelstein, Michael Heckenberger, Bruna Franchetto, Helena Lima, Jennifer Watling, Bruno Moraes, Wetherbee B. Dorshow, Carlos Fausto, Kumessi Waura, Huke Kuikuro, Taku Wate Kuikuro, Afukaka Kuikuro and J. Taylor Perron
Additional contact information
Samuel L. Goldberg: University of Miami
Morgan J. Schmidt: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Joshua D. Himmelstein: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michael Heckenberger: University of Florida
Bruna Franchetto: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Helena Lima: Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi
Jennifer Watling: Universidade de São Paulo
Bruno Moraes: Puente Institute
Wetherbee B. Dorshow: Puente Institute
Carlos Fausto: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Kumessi Waura: Associação Indígena do Alto Xingu (AIKAX)
Huke Kuikuro: Associação Indígena do Alto Xingu (AIKAX)
Taku Wate Kuikuro: Associação Indígena do Alto Xingu (AIKAX)
Afukaka Kuikuro: Associação Indígena do Alto Xingu (AIKAX)
J. Taylor Perron: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nature Sustainability, 2024, vol. 7, issue 10, 1304-1312

Abstract: Abstract Amazonian dark earth (ADE) is highly nutrient- and carbon-rich soil created by past inhabitants of the Amazon. It would be valuable to know the extent of ADE because of its cultural and environmental importance, but systematic efforts to map its distribution and extent are impractical with traditional field methods. We use remote-sensing imagery and a machine-learning classifier with ground-truthed training data to predict the occurrence of ADE across the 26,000 km2 Território Indígena do Xingu (TIX) in the southeastern Amazon region of Brazil. We find widespread ADE across the TIX, well beyond previously studied archaeological sites, occupying at least 3–4% of the land area. We further estimate that the TIX may sequester 9 Mt of carbon within ADE deposits from past human inputs. Our findings show that ancient inhabitants of the TIX substantially modified their environment, highlighting the importance of conserving this natural and cultural resource given threats from climate change and deforestation.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01399-3

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