Ancient Maya drained field agriculture: Its possible application today in the New River Floodplain,Belize C.A.

A drained field complex was identified in the New River near Lamanai, with evidence of Pre-Classic and Classic Mesoamerican occupation. X-ray diffraction analysis of alluvium indicated a dominance of gypsum and a natural sedimentary origin for the fields. Weathering by percolating solutions eliminates the gypsum leaving montmorillonite clay. Sediments deposited on the drained fields during flooding are in excess of 890 kg/ha/year, with an organic content of >50%. As water levels drop, exchangeable bases are leached. The presence of montmorillonite in Layers 1 and 3 and the high CEC of the clay fraction account for the low permeability and high potential productivity of these soils for agriculture. The indication of high levels of inorganic P in Layer 3 is taken as a sign that the layer was the ancient planting surface. By clearing the present forest cover, local farmers would have a nutrient-rich soil suitable for agriculture, that their ancestors also exploited for many centuries.