Lithological Diversity and Its Influence on the Stabilization of Organic Carbon in Soils with Incipient Pedogenesis

• Grant number: 24/20728-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Tiago Osório Ferreira
• Grantee: Luis Fernando Vieira da Silva
• Host Institution: CENTRO ESTUDOS CARBONO AGRICULTURA TROPICAL/USP
• Associated research grant: 21/10573-4 - Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture (CCARBON), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Organic carbon storage in soil (SOC) is a critical process for climate change mitigation;however, the processes governing its stabilization are still poorly understood. Recentstudies have highlighted the significance of organo-mineral interactions in SOC stocks.Nonetheless, the associations between SOC and the weathering products of variouslithologies remain unexplored. Shallow soils (e.g., Entisols) are known to be heavilyinfluenced by lithology, making them strategic for gaining insights into SOC stability. Inthis context, the present project aims to investigate SOC stabilization processes viaorgano-mineral interactions in soils derived from different lithologies, as well as toevaluate carbon storage potential. The soil profiles to be sampled are located in thePeripheral Depression and on the edge of the Atlantic Plateau in the state of São Paulo,Brazil. By combining chemical extractions, thermal, mineralogical, and spectroscopicanalyses, this study will thoroughly examine the composition and stability of organomineral interactions in soils derived from diverse lithologies. Thus, our study aims tocontribute to a broader understanding of how mineral composition, influenced bylithology, governs SOC. From a scientific perspective, our results will demonstrate howlithology contributes to ecosystem functions. From a social perspective, these findingswill have significant implications for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Finally,this research seeks to contribute to the initiatives of COP29 and the IPCC in addressingclimate change, striving for carbon neutrality.