Spectroscopic techniques and modeling applied to soil organic matter dynamics in pasture systems under different brazilian biomes

• Grant number: 25/11644-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Grantee: Kelly Tamires Urbano Daboit
• 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

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator of soil quality, influencing edaphic properties and playing a crucial role in climate change mitigation. Quantifying and understanding the stabilization mechanisms of SOM is essential for the development of sustainable agricultural systems. Pasture management, combined with soil characteristics and edaphoclimatic conditions of different Brazilian biomes, directly affects SOM dynamics, though these effects remain underexplored. In addition to quantification, assessing the chemical quality of SOM-focusing on functional groups and carbon protection within aggregates-is necessary. Non-destructive techniques, such as laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, have proven effective in this context. Integrating these data with existing surveys through modeling allows the simulation of management scenarios in terms of carbon stocks, SOM quality, and soil health. This project aims to understand how different pasture conditions (native, managed, degraded, and integrated) affect SOM and its chemical properties. The association of modeling with functional SOM characterization is strategic to advance the understanding of SOM dynamics in pasture systems and to support Brazil in achieving its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals.