Carbon Balance Mapping of the Brazilian Agricultural Areas by Geotechnologies: A New Approach

• Grant number: 23/17508-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: José Alexandre Melo Demattê
• Grantee: Heidy Soledad Rodríguez Albarracín
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10573-4 - Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture (CCARBON), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Mitigating climate change is a paramount global challenge requiring sustainable development strategies. Soil, a pivotal element, regulates carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and influences climate change through carbon (C) sequestration. The dynamic interplay between C sequestration and CO2 emissions determines the net carbon storage potential. While numerous studies focus on soil CO2 emissions and C sequestration potential independently, comprehensive assessments of soil C balance remain scarce. At the national scale, Brazil lacks maps detailing soil CO2 emissions or C sequestration potential, especially in agricultural areas associated with greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to bridge this gap by assessing the C sequestration potential and CO2 emissions balance in Brazilian agricultural soils, providing insights into the potential net C storage of these areas. Our methodology integrates soil data, Vis NIR SWIR reflectance spectroscopy analysis, geographic information systems, remote sensing techniques, and digital soil mapping (DSM) approaches, employing machine learning to generate the first-ever maps of potential net C storage, C sequestration potential, and soil CO2 emissions in Brazilian agricultural soils. This holistic approach enhances our understanding of agroecosystem opportunities to combat climate change by reducing atmospheric CO2 levels.