• Past human activities result in the formation of Anthrosols and the accumulation of nutrients.

• Enrichment in physicochemical properties relates to the intensity of settlement activities.

• The level of releasability contributes to the extended retention of nutrients in soils.

• Past settlement sites represent nutrient-rich Anthrosols suitable for arable fields.

The fertility of human-altered soils, Anthrosols, developed from past settlement activities for crop production is scarcely studied. The study evaluated the fertility of Anthrosols developed from the 15th to mid-20th century AD settlement in Old Buipe, Savanna region, Ghana, to determine whether abandoned localities are suitable for arable fields. Human activities enhanced the physical attributes of the Anthrosols: brown to dark brown intergrain fine soil, 15%–35% organic matter, 15%–30% potsherd, and 5%–15% charred materials. The Anthrosols were slightly acidic to neutral reactions \(\left({{\rm{p}}{{\rm{H}}_{\left[{{{\rm{H}}_2}{\rm{O}}} \right]}}\,5.67 - 6.83,\,\,{\rm{p}}{{\rm{H}}_{\left[{{\rm{CaC}}{{\rm{l}}_2}} \right]}}\,5.83 - 6.95} \right)\), high cation exchange capacity (CEC; 18.77–45.31me/100 g), electric conductivity (EC = 0.28–0.36 dS m⁻¹), accumulation, and distribution of organic C, total N, P, Mn, Cu, Zn, K, and Fe, and available P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn. Plant-available nutrients were comparatively higher than concentrations in non-anthropogenic soils. The level of releasability (bioavailable fractions of total concentrations) of P, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn partly compensates for low plant-available portions. Enrichment of chemical and physical properties of Anthrosols make them fertile for arable fields. The signatures of settlement activities are strong and can remain in soils for a long time, even under harsh environmental conditions.

• 过去的人类活动导致人类溶胶的形成和养分的积累。

• 物理化学性质的丰富与定居活动的强度有关。

• 可释放性水平有助于延长土壤中养分的保留时间。

• 过去的定居点代表了适合耕地的营养丰富的人类土壤。

人类改变的土壤，Anthrosols 的肥力，从过去的作物生产定居活动中发展而来，几乎没有研究。该研究评估了从公元 15 世纪到 20 世纪中叶在加纳稀树草原地区 Old Buipe 定居点开发的 Anthrosols 的肥力，以确定废弃的地方是否适合耕地。人类活动增强了 Anthrosols 的物理属性：棕色至深棕色粒间细土、15%–35% 的有机质、15%–30% 的陶片和 5%–15% 的烧焦物质。Anthrosols 呈弱酸性至中性反应\(\left({{\rm{p}}{{\rm{H}}_{\left[{{{\rm{H}}_2}{\rm{O }}} \right]}}\,5.67 - 6.83,\,\,{\rm{p}}{{\rm{H}}_{\left[{{\rm{CaC}}{{\rm {l}}_2}} \右]}}\,5.83 - 6.95} \右)\), 高阳离子交换容量 (CEC; 18.77–45.31me/100 g), 电导率 (EC = 0.28–0.36 dS m ⁻¹ ), 有机碳的积累和分布, 总 N, P, Mn, Cu, Zn, K 和 Fe，以及可用的 P、K、Ca、Mg、S、Mn、Fe、Cu 和 Zn。植物可利用的养分相对高于非人为土壤中的浓度。P、K、Ca、Mn、Fe、Cu 和 Zn 的可释放性水平（总浓度的生物可利用分数）部分补偿了低植物可利用部分。人类溶胶的化学和物理特性的丰富使它们成为可耕地的沃土。定居活动的特征很强，可以在土壤中保留很长时间，即使在恶劣的环境条件下也是如此。