Comparação de teor de carbono no solo no bioma Cerrado: recuperação de pastagens degradadas e integração pecuária floresta

Abstract

The Brazilian Cerrado stands out for its grain production and cattle farming. Reaching the current level of crop intensification has required changes in land use, which have resulted in significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Brazil. In this context, technologies such as the Recovery of Degraded Pastures (RDP) and Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ICLF) systems are promising strategies for mitigating these emissions and improving productivity. This study aimed to estimate and compare soil carbon content among different production systems (recovered pastures, degraded pastures, integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems, and dense forest), as well as to assess factors affecting carbon accumulation. Soil samples were collected from approximately 2,880 hectares at depths of 0–0.20 m and 0.20–0.40 m, totaling 278 samples. Following the issuance of the soil analysis reports, carbon content was estimated based on the organic matter present in the samples. Subsequently, correlations between carbon content and soil texture and base saturation were evaluated. Significant and positive correlations were found between carbon content and both soil texture and base saturation, with soil texture being the more important factor. Thus, it was observed that more clayey soils tend to accumulate greater amounts of carbon, as do soils with better chemical conditions, that is, higher base saturation. Furthermore, within the soil depths evaluated in this study, the production systems did not have a substantial influence on soil carbon content, suggesting that soil management may have a greater effect in shallower layers, where most of the organic matter is stored.