Abstract
Abstract Soils at some prehistoric agricultural sites in New Mexico were investigated to study agricultural adaptation in a semi‐arid mountainous region, evaluate soil productivity, and determine long‐term effects of agriculture on the physical environment. The sites, farmed during the Mimbres Classic period (about AD 1000 to 1150), occur within certain geomorphic settings, implying a strategy to optimize climatic and hydrologic conditions for runoff agriculture. The landscape was modified by terracing, which probably served to reduce runoff velocity, increase soil moisture, and thicken the naturally thin A horizon. Comparisons of prehistoric agricultural soils with nearby, similarly developed, uncultivated soils indicate significant differences in soil properties over eight centuries after farming ceased. Soil changes resulting from the prehistoric agriculture were mostly degradative, including accelerated erosion, compaction, and reduced concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Despi...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
