Soil Metagenome

Amazonian Dark Earth (ADE) or "Terra Preta" soils were likely formed between 500 and 2,500 years ago by pre-Columbian populations. These soils are found in the Amazonian region distinguished by the presence of ceramic artifacts, animal bones and high amounts of charred organic materials, which are commonly referred to as black carbon (BC) (Glaser, 2007). ADE soils are considered as model soils due to their high chemical fertility (high content levels of organic C, P, Ca, Mg, Zn, and Mn) and stable organic matter (Lehmann et al., 2003). Also, ADE soils are characterized by their distinct microbial communities, with a higher diversity and richness in comparison to the surrounding soils (Navarrete et al., 2010).