Workshop over the real work needed to start. As part of the Newton/NERC funded project with the archaeologist we had brought a team of biologist to characterise and compare the organism diversity of the terra preta (TPI) and non-TPI sites. This requires a team of 16-18 biologist representing all disciplines from genomics, earthworm and termite biologists to soil chemistry…..so its was time for call out ‘TPInetwork assemble’.

The logistics of the field work were helped enormously by being able to rent three vacant houses in the local village that had never been occupied. This actually a said story, the village was relocated, new house built, when the dam was flooded but because the fish became less prevalent some villagers lost there livelihood and moved away. For us it meant we had a great staging area relative inexpensively. Also we found a local café at the banks of the Madeira river (one of the major Amazonian tributaries) to feed the crew and regular intervals. So all prepared and ready for the field……but we are working in a rain forest and yes the team wakes up real Amazonian-rain so time to catch up on grant writing and wait for the rain to stop.