Stock of carbon and mineral nutrients in Cerrado soils: effects of forest cultivation use

• Grant number: 05/54052-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2005
• End date: November 30, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Welington Braz Carvalho Delitti
• Grantee: Welington Braz Carvalho Delitti
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

It is intended to evaluate the potential for storing carbon (C) in cerrado soils under cover of Pinus (Pi) and Eucalyptus (Eu) when compared with native vegetation (Ce), as well as the effects of plantations on the nutritional state of the soil. The areas of study are located in the São Paulo municipalities of ltirapina, MogiGuaçu, Luiz Antônio and Pederneiras, SP. A treatment replica will be defined (Ce, Pi and Eu) in each municipality and 30 collection points of undergrowth and soil (0-5, 10-25 and 35-50 cm) per treatment. The levels of carbon and nutrients of the samples will be determined in laboratories of the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA) and the Department of Soils and Nutrition of Plants at USP’s Luiz de Queiroz Advanced School of Agriculture (Esalq). Significant differences will be tested through ANOVA procedures. The treatments, if different, will be discriminated through Post hoc tests (LSD). The reservoirs of C and nutrients in the soil and in the undergrowth will be determined on the basis of values obtained and data on thickness and density of the horizons. The reservoir of C in the first meter of soil will be calculated integrating this data in equations of vertical pedotransference. The results could be used comparatively on a global scale. (AU)