Estimating soil carbon changes regarding sugarcane expansion into pastures in Brazil

• Grant number: 15/14122-6
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal researcher: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Grantee: Dener Márcio da Silva Oliveira
• Supervisor abroad: Keith Paustian
• Home Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Colorado State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/08632-9 - Soil organic matter in land use change areas under sugarcane cultivation in south central region of Brazil, BP.DR

Abstract

The environmental impacts of land use change (LUC) caused by sugarcane expansion have generated numerous questions regarding the environmental sustainability of Brazilian ethanol production. Most of these uncertainties are about the effects of LUC on soil organic matter (SOM). The mainly goal of this research internship abroad, which is linked with the FAPESP research project n° 2014/08632-9, is to evaluate changes in SOM due to the expansion of sugarcane into pasture areas in South-Central Brazil, using the GEFSOC modelling system. Specifically, our objectives are to: i) estimate changes on C and N stocks due to the conversion of areas under native vegetation to pastures; as well as changes associated with the expansion of sugarcane into pasture areas; ii) compare the results of the simulations with data obtained in situ in areas of the project linked with this proposal and others obtained from literature; iii) develop prospective scenarios of sugarcane expansion of sugarcane into pasture areas in South-Central Brazil, as well as related changes in C and N stocks. Soil sampling and analytical analyses have been completed and historical and management data were obtained from interviews. During the internship at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, simulations will be carried out on the effects of LUC on SOM in areas of sugarcane expansion at South-Central Brazil, using the GEFSOC modelling system. The results generated during the research internship will be extremely useful in assessing the environmental sustainability of sugarcane ethanol and for guiding expansion policies of sugarcane production in Brazil. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA OLIVEIRA, DENER MARCIO; PAUSTIAN, KEITH; COTRUFO, MARIA FRANCESCA; FIALLOS, AMANDA ROCHA; CERQUEIRA, ANDRESSA GONCALVES; PELLEGRINO CERRI, CARLOS EDUARDO. Assessing labile organic carbon in soils undergoing land use change in Brazil: A comparison of approaches. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS, v. 72, p. 411-419, JAN 2017. (14/08632-9, 15/14122-6)

DA SILVA OLIVEIRA, DENER MARCIO; PAUSTIAN, KEITH; DAVIES, CHRISTIAN ANDREW; CHERUBIN, MAURICIO ROBERTO; FRANCO, ANDRE LUIZ CUSTODIO; CERRI, CARLOS CLEMENTE; PELLEGRINO CERRI, CARLOS EDUARDO. Soil carbon changes in areas undergoing expansion of sugarcane into pastures in south-central Brazil. AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT, v. 228, p. 38-48, JUL 15 2016. (14/08632-9, 13/17581-6, 14/16612-8, 15/14122-6)

OLIVEIRA, DENER M. S.; CHERUBIN, MAURICIO R.; FRANCO, ANDRE L. C.; SANTOS, AUGUSTO S.; GELAIN, JAQUELINI G.; DIAS, NAISSA M. S.; DINIZ, TATIANA R.; ALMEIDA, ALEXANDRE N.; FEIGL, BRIGITTE J.; DAVIES, CHRISTIAN A.; et al. Is the expansion of sugarcane over pasturelands a sustainable strategy for Brazil's bioenergy industry?. RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS, v. 102, p. 346-355, MAR 2019. (15/14122-6, 13/17581-6, 14/08632-9, 14/16612-8, 18/09845-7)

DA SILVA OLIVEIRA, DENER MARCIO; SCHELLEKENS, JUDITH; PELLEGRINO CERRI, CARLOS EDUARDO. Molecular characterization of soil organic matter from native vegetation-pasture-sugarcane transitions in Brazil. Science of The Total Environment, v. 548, p. 450-462, APR 1 2016. (14/08632-9, 13/03953-9, 15/14122-6)

OLIVEIRA, DENER M. S.; WILLIAMS, STEPHEN; CERRI, CARLOS E. P.; PAUSTIAN, KEITH. Predicting soil C changes over sugarcane expansion in Brazil using the DayCent model. Global Change Biology Bioenergy, v. 9, n. 9, p. 1436-1446, SEP 2017. (14/08632-9, 15/14122-6)

CHERUBIN, MAURICIO ROBERTO; DA SILVA OLIVEIRA, DENER MARCIO; FEIGL, BRIGITTE JOSEFINE; PIMENTEL, LAISA GOUVEIA; LISBOA, IZAIAS PINHEIRO; GMACH, MARIA REGINA; VARANDA, LETICIA LEAL; MORAIS, MARISTELA CALVENTE; SATIRO, LUCAS SANTOS; POPIN, GUSTAVO VICENTINI; et al. Crop residue harvest for bioenergy production and its implications on soil functioning and plant growth: A review. Scientia Agricola, v. 75, n. 3, p. 255-272, MAY-JUN 2018. (15/00308-0, 15/14122-6, 16/08214-8, 14/08632-9)