Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale
In 2020, Brazil was the seventh largest emitter of GHG (greenhouse gases), releasing ~2.16 GtCO2e (gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent) into the atmosphere. Activities related to land use contributed approximately 73% of national emissions in that year. Considering that pastures represent the prim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/60 |
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| author | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Janete Rego da Silva Leandro Leal Parente Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Maiara Pedral dos Santos Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira |
| author_facet | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Janete Rego da Silva Leandro Leal Parente Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Maiara Pedral dos Santos Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira |
| author_sort | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2020, Brazil was the seventh largest emitter of GHG (greenhouse gases), releasing ~2.16 GtCO2e (gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent) into the atmosphere. Activities related to land use contributed approximately 73% of national emissions in that year. Considering that pastures represent the primary land use in the country, occupying approximately 20% of the territory, the mapping and monitoring of C stocks in these areas is essential to determine their contribution to national emissions. In this study, based on the integrated use of the CENTURY model, georeferenced databases, and the R environment, we mapped and analyzed, for the first time, the C stocks dynamics associated with the pasture areas of the Cerrado biome between 2000 and 2019. The average C stocks in the soil (0–20 cm) and in the aboveground biomass estimated by modeling were ~31 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup> and ~4 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, values close to those observed in the literature for the region. Furthermore, the model results corresponded to the edaphic patterns of the region, with the highest average estimated C stocks in Cambisols (~34 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>) and the lowest in Neosols (~29 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>). The temporal dynamics of soil C stocks in these areas are directly related to the age of the pastures. In fact, stocks tend to be reduced in recently converted areas and stabilized in areas that have been under this land use for a longer time (≥30 years). As a result, a loss of ~103 MtC (millions of tons of carbon) was estimated in the Cerrado pasture soils in twenty years. The mapping and monitoring of C stocks in this land use type through approaches such as the one presented in this study is essential to support the Brazilian government’s efforts to mitigate C emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:18Z |
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| id | doaj.art-1cc32bf5f0444a2899f98e0eb24f89d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:00:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-1cc32bf5f0444a2899f98e0eb24f89d42023-11-30T23:03:45ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-12-011216010.3390/land12010060Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional ScaleClaudinei Oliveira dos Santos0Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto1Janete Rego da Silva2Leandro Leal Parente3Vinícius Vieira Mesquita4Maiara Pedral dos Santos5Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira6Image Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Institute of Socio-Environmental Studies (IESA), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74001-970, GO, BrazilEcology Department, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-108, SE, BrazilTourism and Patrimony, State University of Goiás, Goiás 76600-000, GO, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Institute of Socio-Environmental Studies (IESA), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74001-970, GO, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Institute of Socio-Environmental Studies (IESA), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74001-970, GO, BrazilEcology Department, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-108, SE, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Institute of Socio-Environmental Studies (IESA), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia 74001-970, GO, BrazilIn 2020, Brazil was the seventh largest emitter of GHG (greenhouse gases), releasing ~2.16 GtCO2e (gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent) into the atmosphere. Activities related to land use contributed approximately 73% of national emissions in that year. Considering that pastures represent the primary land use in the country, occupying approximately 20% of the territory, the mapping and monitoring of C stocks in these areas is essential to determine their contribution to national emissions. In this study, based on the integrated use of the CENTURY model, georeferenced databases, and the R environment, we mapped and analyzed, for the first time, the C stocks dynamics associated with the pasture areas of the Cerrado biome between 2000 and 2019. The average C stocks in the soil (0–20 cm) and in the aboveground biomass estimated by modeling were ~31 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup> and ~4 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, values close to those observed in the literature for the region. Furthermore, the model results corresponded to the edaphic patterns of the region, with the highest average estimated C stocks in Cambisols (~34 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>) and the lowest in Neosols (~29 MgC·ha<sup>−1</sup>). The temporal dynamics of soil C stocks in these areas are directly related to the age of the pastures. In fact, stocks tend to be reduced in recently converted areas and stabilized in areas that have been under this land use for a longer time (≥30 years). As a result, a loss of ~103 MtC (millions of tons of carbon) was estimated in the Cerrado pasture soils in twenty years. The mapping and monitoring of C stocks in this land use type through approaches such as the one presented in this study is essential to support the Brazilian government’s efforts to mitigate C emissions.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/60pasturelandsoil organic carbonecosystem modelingBrazilian savannaCENTURY modellivestock |
| spellingShingle | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Janete Rego da Silva Leandro Leal Parente Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Maiara Pedral dos Santos Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale Land pastureland soil organic carbon ecosystem modeling Brazilian savanna CENTURY model livestock |
| title | Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale |
| title_full | Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale |
| title_fullStr | Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale |
| title_full_unstemmed | Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale |
| title_short | Monitoring of Carbon Stocks in Pastures in the Savannas of Brazil through Ecosystem Modeling on a Regional Scale |
| title_sort | monitoring of carbon stocks in pastures in the savannas of brazil through ecosystem modeling on a regional scale |
| topic | pastureland soil organic carbon ecosystem modeling Brazilian savanna CENTURY model livestock |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/60 |
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