Depth assessed and up-scaling of single case studies might overestimate the role of C sequestration by pastures in the commitments of Brazil's low-carbon agriculture plan

Author(s)

de Oliveira, Daniele Costa ^[1] ; da Silva Oliveira, Dener Marcio ^[2] ; Alves de Freitas, Rita de Cassia ^{[1, 3]} ; Barreto, Matheus Sampaio ^[4] ; Munhoz de Almeida, Rodrigo Estevam ^[5] ; Batista, Rafael Butke ^[1] ; Pellegrino Cerri, Carlos Eduardo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencia Solo, Escola Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Vicosa, Inst Ciencias Agr, Campus Florestal, LMG 818, Km 06, BR-35690000 Florestal, MG - Brazil

^[3] Inst Fed Piaui, Campus Sao Joao do Piaui, Sao Joao Do Piaui, PI - Brazil

^[4] Mohammed VI Polytech Univ UM6P, AgroBiosci Program, Ben Guerir - Morocco

^[5] Embrapa Pesca & Aquicultura, Palmas, TO - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CARBON MANAGEMENT; v. 12, n. 5 SEP 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The reclamation of degraded pastures has a prominent role in the Brazilian climate policy and is one of the main strategies of Brazil's Low-Carbon Agriculture Plan (ABC Plan). Here, we aimed to evaluate the changes in soil C and N stocks in livestock areas under pasture reclamation and contribute to the empirical basis for evaluating the ABC Plan. Based on the assessment of six chronosequences across Brazilian Cerrado, we observed that the effects of management practices for pasture reclamation on soil C and N stocks in livestock areas were quite variable. Any general tendencies depend on the depth evaluated. At the 0-30 cm soil layer, pasture areas under reclamation in Brazilian Cerrado showed an average soil C change rate of 0.47 Mg C ha(-1 )yr(-1). However, for the more in-depth assessment (0-100 cm), the adoption of management practices for pasture reclamation did not affect the average rate of soil C changes for these areas. In this sense, we suggest that an up-scaling from single case studies may lead to overestimations of soil C inventories. Thefore, ABC Plan must review some of its approaches based on general values and extrapolations regarding C sequestration in pasture areas. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/21273-8 - Potential of sequestration carbon in soil and organic matter dynamics in degraded pastures in Brazil
• Grantee: Daniele Costa de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 20/15230-5 - Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation - RCG2I
• Grantee: Julio Romano Meneghini
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Centers in Engineering Program
• FAPESP's process: 14/50279-4 - Brasil Research Centre for Gas Innovation
• Grantee: Julio Romano Meneghini
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Centers in Engineering Program