Earthworms, Darwin and prehistoric agriculture-Chernozem genesis reconsidered

Dreibrodt, Stefan; Hofmann, Robert; Corso, Marta Dal; Bork, Hans‐Rudolf; Duttmann, Rainer; Martini, Sarah; Saggau, Philipp; Schwark, Lorenz; Shatilo, Liudmyla; Videiko, Michail; Nadeau, Marie‐Josée; Grootes, Pieter Meiert; Kirleis, Wiebke; Müller, Johannes

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115607

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Chernozem/Phaeozem formation was facilitated by the relatively dry and warm regional climate during the Early Holocene 40 in combination with calcareous loose Quaternary sediments 19 . With regard to the finding that Chernozem/Phaeozem formation was linked to bioturbation caused by anecic earthworms 11 , our pre-Neolithic ages for the start of Chernozem/Phaeozem formation suggest that anecic earthworms must have found appropriate living conditions in this region already prior to human agriculture. Most of the stabilisation ages in the upper parts of the profiles (10, 20, 30 cm depth) are between ca.…”

Section: Profile and Sample Depthmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Hence, they were often settled early on by farming societies in Central and Eastern Europe, and used for agriculture over several millennia [8][9][10] . Despite their particular importance for food supply and carbon sequestration, their origin and age remain controversial [11][12][13][14] .In Europe, the westernmost area of widespread Chernozems/Phaeozems is in Central Germany (Fig. 1).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Deciphering timing and rates of Central German Chernozem/Phaeozem formation through high resolution single-grain luminescence dating

Suchodoletz

Meer

Kühn

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Chernozems/Phaeozems are important agricultural resources and have been intensively used for millennia. However, their origin and age are still controversial. In Europe, the westernmost widespread Chernozem/Phaeozem area is located in Central Germany. In contrast to other German regions with anthropogenic Chernozems/Phaeozems, their natural origin is suggested in connection with intensive bioturbation. Yet, radiocarbon is unsuitable for decoding Chernozem/Phaeozem formation so this hypothesis remains untested, whereas single-grain luminescence dating allows to discriminate between different soil sub-processes and formation phases. We applied single-grain feldspar luminescence to a Central German Chernozem that was buried during the Bronze Age and subsequently protected from pedogenic processes. For the first time, we could directly determine timing and rate of Chernozem/Phaeozem formation in Central Europe by dating bioturbation as the dominant soil forming process. Accordingly, Chernozem/Phaeozem formation started at the latest in the Early Holocene prior to Neolithic settlement indicating a natural origin of Central German Chernozems/Phaeozems, and Chernozem/Phaeozem formation ceased around 6–5 ka when the regional climate became more humid. Our effective soil reworking rates show that earthworm bioturbation in Chernozems/Phaeozems is more intense than ant-dominated bioturbation, but significantly less intense than bioturbation by lugworms or ploughing. The latter effect allows to identify prehistoric ploughing in paleosols.

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Section: Profile and Sample Depthmentioning

confidence: 78%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering timing and rates of Central German Chernozem/Phaeozem formation through high resolution single-grain luminescence dating

Suchodoletz

Meer

Kühn

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…Soil scientists and archaeologists, for example, are collaborating in archaeopedology (Ahlrichs et al, 2016;Ballasus et al, 2022;Bork et al, 1998;Dreibrodt et al, 2022;Gerlach et al, 2012;James et al, 2021;Kühn et al, 2010;Miera et al, 2019;Pietsch & Kühn, 2017) to understand how past societies affected the soils and landscapes around their settlements.…”

Section: Archaeopedologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As of today, diverse collaborations between soil scientists and archaeologists, anthropologists, and economists exist, but the socio‐cultural aspects connected to soils are not necessarily their research focus. Soil scientists and archaeologists, for example, are collaborating in archaeopedology (Ahlrichs et al., 2016; Ballasus et al., 2022; Bork et al., 1998; Dreibrodt et al., 2022; Gerlach et al., 2012; James et al., 2021; Kühn et al., 2010; Miera et al., 2019; Pietsch & Kühn, 2017) to understand how past societies affected the soils and landscapes around their settlements.…”

Section: Interdisciplinary Collaborations Between Soil Scientists And...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Why do we need interdisciplinary cooperation with anthropologists and archaeologists in soil science?

Teuber

Bartelheim

Hardenberg

et al. 2022

J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci.

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Looking at soils from the perspective of an environmental scientist or agronomist might neglect various dimensions of valuation that can be attributed to soils. Especially social and cultural connoted values including ecosystem services cannot always be measured in terms of scientific values or classified as soil types or soil qualities in a modern, economic way. Even though soils are a fact and have been present on the Earth's surface and used by people, at least for food production, at different times and in different cultures, the ways of dealing with soils and the valuations of soils are extremely diverse. Researchers in anthropology, archaeology, and agriculture, for example, are investigating different perspectives like soils as common good or as private property. This concerns not only different knowledge orders about soils, but also beliefs, techniques, foodways, practices, and power relations concerning soils and cereal cultivation. Based on the example of agriculture with a focus on cereal cultivation, we argue that there is still a great need for interdisciplinarity between the sciences and humanities. However, there is also a need to distinguish and explain between fundamental interdisciplinary research and application of findings in a socio‐economic context. It is necessary to understand different knowledge orders and valuations in time or space and to reevaluate today's perspectives on soils and agriculture for facing modern problems such as soil degradation, erosion, salinization, and an overall loss of soil fertility.

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“…These settlements were built in a partially open forest-steppe landscape with very fertile loess-based soils (Kirleis & Dreibrodt 2016; Dreibrodt et al . 2022). They were agricultural settlements inhabited all year round, with an economy based on the cultivation of cereals and pulses and on intensive and extensive animal husbandry centred on cattle (Kruts et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trypillia mega-sites: a social levelling concept?

Hofmann,

Müller-Scheeßel,

Müller

2024

Antiquity

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Explanations for the emergence and abandonment of the Chalcolithic Trypillia mega-sites have long been debated. Here, the authors use Gini coefficients based on the sizes of approximately 7000 houses at 38 Trypillia sites to assess inequality between households as a factor in the rise and/or demise of these settlements. The results indicate temporarily reduced social inequality at mega-sites. It was only after several generations that increased social differentiation re-emerged and this may explain the subsequent abandonment of the mega-sites. The results indicate that increases in social complexity need not be associated with greater social stratification and that large aggregations of population can, for a time at least, find mechanisms to reduce inequality.

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Earthworms, Darwin and prehistoric agriculture-Chernozem genesis reconsidered

Cited by 18 publications

References 50 publications

Deciphering timing and rates of Central German Chernozem/Phaeozem formation through high resolution single-grain luminescence dating

Deciphering timing and rates of Central German Chernozem/Phaeozem formation through high resolution single-grain luminescence dating

Why do we need interdisciplinary cooperation with anthropologists and archaeologists in soil science?

Trypillia mega-sites: a social levelling concept?

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