Dynamics, reactivity and structural aspects of soil organic matter under integration crop-livestock-forest systems

Abstract

The current challenge in agriculture is to maintain and advance the productive capacity of Brazilian soils by using low input technologies that have low carbon emission agriculture and are capable of promoting the sustainable expansion of agricultural production. Among the agricultural and livestock systems, the Integration Crop-Livestock-Forest Systems (ICLF), under the Low Carbon Emission Agriculture Plan in Brazil (Plan ABC), is beginning to be highlighted. Soils under ICLF have the potential to capture and sequester carbon, in the form of increasing Soil Organic Matter (SOM) content, contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Studies aiming to evaluate the dynamics, structural aspects and reactivity of SOM in these systems are still limited but are fundamental to understanding the chemical, physical, and biological processes that influence the accumulation of carbon in soils. This project aims to quantify the content of SOM, to evaluate the origin of the carbon and major macro and micronutrients present in the soil. To study the structural differences in the content and quality of SOM under different combinations of integrated systems, such as silvi-pasture, ICLF and comparing with pastures situations in continuous management and rotational management and a reference area with native vegetation. It will be carried out through the combined use of soils chemical and physical fractionation methods, spectroscopies and photonics techniques, aiming at the monitoring of soil carbon dynamics as well as estimating their chemical stability, and generating data to support agronomic recommendations and to support the Plan ABC. Thus, this project is expected to obtain relevant information about the dynamics and the participation of organic matter in the storage and carbon emissions in integrated systems as a significant topic in the context of sustainable agriculture, climate change and one of the essential strategies in Brazil for the decarbonization of agriculture. (AU)