Carbon stock and soil health after successive eucalyptus rotations with different types of forest residue management

• Grant number: 24/17598-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre de Vicente Ferraz
• Grantee: Gleydson Vinicius dos Santos Silveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Florestais (IPEF). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Forest ecosystems play an essential role in the sequestration of atmospheric CO2 and, consequently, in climate change. The removal of part or all of the forest residues in eucalyptus plantations has occurred due to the use of this biomass as an energy source or the harvesting of wood in the "full tree" system. The way in which these residues are managed throughout the rotations has established variations in carbon (C) stocks and soil health, rigorously impacting the earth's climate. The aim of this project is to quantify the total C stock (plant biomass and soil), soil health and productivity (m3 and t ha-1) in a eucalyptus plantation under different types of residue management (maintenance or absence of canopy, bark and litter) in the third rotation. Located in the municipality of Itatinga-SP, the experiment is in third rotation, with a randomized block design, 5 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments are: CReCF and CReSF - with all forest residues kept on the ground, with and without mineral fertilization; "SCoCF - removal of the crown", "SPACF - removal of all aerial parts" and "SReCF - removal of all forest residues, including litter", with mineral fertilization. Assessments will be made of tree growth and aerial biomass; carbon analyses in plant tissue and soil; the physical fractioning of soil organic matter; as well as modeling the C stock considering the different rotation times. The assessment of soil health will consider chemical, physical and biological attributes. Based on the results, it will be possible to identify which type(s) of residue management and length of rotation will provide higher yields, carbon stocks and better soil health in eucalyptus plantations.