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Originally Posted by Fishteacher73
The problem with biomes such as tropical rain forests and tropical reefs is that there is such an abundance of life that the nutrients available are all used IN the life and the soil/water is VERY nutrient poor.
This sounds like a poorly researched and biased show that this came from. The only real way to allow for farm land to stay fertile is either through artificial fertilization (not the best) or a cycle of crop rotation and allowing fallow periods upon the field.
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This, (BBC TV show) was not a "poorly researched and biased show" there is heaps of research to support their arguments
Fertilisers were used in Terra preta soils.
Terra praeta is not 'slash and burn'. The very opposite (See web links in my previous post(s)). Charchol was made then deliberatly ground into superfine particles.
Charchol however is not the whole story
1. The pottery shards, thousands of them, ONLY in Teraa preta soils.
Does this act as a catalyst. If not why is it there and no where else?
2. How can soils "grow back" yet this is the belief of the indians who sell their Terra preta soils. It might take 20 years but it grows back!
3.Is there a special set of microraganisms that make Terra preta soils fertile? . It is thought so. That is where the reseach is focussing now. Check out the Cornell Uni site on Terra preta and seach their servers. This is real! It is big deal! It may convince Brazillians that "slash and burn", or just "Burn" as it is now, is not the way to go
It might also mean that we all have more fertile soil; while at the same time,we get greater bang- for-the-buck from fertilisers.
See also the suggestion that global sequistration of carbon could reduce global CO2 levels to pre-industrial levels.
Michael
