Energy, science, and technology to manage and control greenhouse gas

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Charcoal and Soil

•Charcoal is a component of soil

–more durable than other organic forms

–Likely produced by fires

•Ancient Amazonian agriculture

–some areas of rich black soil

–possibly man made centuries ago

–charcoal from variation of slash and burn?



	Long lasting carbon is found in soils. Some of this is simply charcoal, presumably from forest and grass fires and has been there for centuries.
	Unusual charcoal rich soils have been found in the Amazon basin. This soil was most likely man made. Some scientists suggest it was deliberately produced by a variation of slash and burn agriculture. It remains highly productive centuries after it was formed.
	Interest is building in this discovery.