Amazonian dark earths are highly rich soils that resist degradation. They have an extraordinarycapacity to sequester carbon and are known to augment agricultural production. Because ofthese characteristics, these dark earths have been proposed as a model for sustainableagriculture. But most attempts to recreate them have been unsuccessful, with little research ordata on the role of soil biota in the productivity and resilience of this ecosystem. An initialassay in a greenhouse simulated dark earth containing its main components: soil, organicmatter, biochar, ceramics, worms, and plants. However, it is necessary to understand how thespecific microbiomes of the worm intestines, the rhizosphere, and the plant roots interact. Thisrequires assessing how these factors can affect soil fertility and agricultural productivity,independently and in an integrated manner. This project investigates the "black box" of howdark earths work, helping to elucidate the mechanisms behind their resilience and impacts onsoil fertility and agricultural productivity. Genomics will be used to create a functional catalogof the various biotic components and biogeochemical processes associated with a simulateddark earth.