ABSTRACT The use of native and exotic species in the reforestation of degraded areas has been considered an important strategy to improve soil quality. However, there is still scarce information about which species are more efficient for soil organic matter (SOM) formation. This study aimed to evaluate the decomposition of leguminous and non-leguminous tree litter, its impact on light organic matter (LOM), particulate organic matter (POM), and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) dynamics, and consequently, SOM formation efficiency. Leaf litter from […]

ABSTRACT Plantation forests can be efficient C sinks in biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC), but the latter depends on many factors, including climate. Tropical humid, mountain areas have cooler temperatures, slowing microbial decomposition, and thus can store considerable SOC. However, the effects of forest plantations on SOC of these montane areas are still poorly studied. Here, we aimed to assess changes in SOC, and related soil properties, after conversion of native rainforest to plantations of five tree species, with […]

ABSTRACT Agrosilvopastoral systems have been used as sustainable production models that can promote soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. However, there are no simulation studies with the Century model to estimate the SOC accumulation capacity in the long term, analyzing the effects of management and climate change in integrated crop-livestock-forest (ICLF) systems. This study aimed to simulate soil C dynamics in two chronosequences of land-use composed of native vegetation (NV), degraded pasture (DPA) and ICLF system in the Cerrado of Minas […]

ABSTRACT Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, mainly no-tillage (NT), cover cropping (CC), soil fertilization with organic amendments (OA), and crop-livestock (CL) and crop-livestock-forestry (CLF) systems, has been widely adopted in areas from Brazilian Cerrado. The CSA may partly offset former soil C losses and contribute to climate change mitigation. However, contradictory findings brought uncertainties about the effect of CSA on soil C. Here, by a systematic review of 87 papers and using 621 data pairs, we provided a pervasive biome-scale analysis […]

ABSTRACT Agroforestry systems have the potential to increase soil organic matter, with effects on soil carbon and nitrogen contents, but information on the application of these systems in semi-arid regions is still scarce. This study aimed to analyze soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in the conversion of native forest from the Caatinga Biome into integrated agriculture systems in the Brazilian semi-arid region. We evaluated the following management systems in the Haplic Inceptisol (Cambissolo Háplico eutrófico): (1) Intercropping area, cultivated with […]

ABSTRACT: Eucalyptus forests in southern Bahia (BA) are planted in soils with a sandy surface layer and humid tropical climate, conditions that lead to soil carbon (C) decomposition. Recent studies have shown that nitrogen (N) may be important for soil C stabilization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of Eucalyptus harvest residues and nitrogen fertilization to C stabilization in Ultisols of southern BA. The experiment was conducted in Eucalyptus clonal plantations cultivated in two regions of […]

ABSTRACT Despite limited geographic expression of Organosols in Brazil, their high carbon storage capacity and natural environmental vulnerability justifies further studies on C and N stocks in these soils and their relationship to the nature of organic matter. Evaluation of physical and chemical properties of organic soils and their ability to store C is important so as to develop sustainable management practices for their preservation. The objectives of the study were to measure the total organic carbon stock (OCst), total […]

ABSTRACT Corn intercropped with Urochloa brizantha (Syn, Brachiaria brizantha) has been indicated as a suitable alternative management practice for rational land use in crop-livestock production systems in the Cerrado region of Brazil. An experiment was carried out in Maracaju, MS, Brazil to evaluate the effect of sequences of soybean/second-crop corn systems intercropped with Urochloa brizantha and the effects of forms of nitrogen on soil chemical and physical properties. A randomized block experimental design was used with four replications; treatments were […]

ABSTRACT The Century model has successfully simulated soil organic matter dynamics in many agroecosystems. However, initial applications in southern Brazil produced mixed results. The objective of this study was to calibrate and validate Century 4.5 to simulate soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics under diverse soil management practices in subtropical Brazil. Soil C and N data from two long-term experiments established on a degraded Acrisol in the early 1980s were used. Treatments were conventional or no-tillage; grass or grass/legume […]

ABSTRACT The expansion of eucalyptus plantations in southern Brazil, especially over regions with natural grasslands, which occurred in the last decade potentially changes total organic carbon and nitrogen in soil. The aim of this study was to test the Century model 4.5 in the simulation of changes in inventories of TOC and TN in the surface layer (0.0-0.2 m) soil in Eucalyptus sp. com different ages in three municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Areas adjacent to grasslands […]