Molecular characterization of soil organic matter from native vegetation-pasture-sugarcane transitions in Brazil

The Science of the Total Environment
Dener Márcio da Silva OliveiraCarlos C Cerri

Abstract

Replacing pastures (PA) with sugarcane (SG) has been deemed an agronomically feasible strategy for sugarcane expansion in Brazil. However, there are some uncertainties about the environmental impacts regarding this land use change (LUC), mainly related to soil organic matter (SOM), a key factor of environmental sustainability of Brazilian ethanol. LUC-related losses of SOM can overcome the C savings from biofuels. The molecular composition of SOM was evaluated to understand the C dynamics regarding LUC from PA to SG, using native vegetation (NV) as reference. Our study area was located in the south-central region of Brazil. Soil sampling was performed at three depths (0-0.1m, 0.2-0.3m and 0.9-1m) in three representative sites with known LUC history and management practice since 1970. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was chosen to study SOM chemistry. Content and isotopic composition of soil organic C and N were also determined. The LUC caused decreases on C and N contents and on δ(13)C isotopic values. Depth was the major factor that influenced SOM composition, while the influence of LUC was mainly evident in surface soils and diminished rapidly with depth. The main difference in SOM composition undergo...Continue Reading

References

Dec 23, 2000·Science·F E MayleT J Killeen
Oct 8, 2011·Nature·Michael W I SchmidtSusan E Trumbore
Feb 18, 2015·The Science of the Total Environment·André L C FrancoCarlos C Cerri

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Citations

Jan 20, 2017·Environmental Science & Technology·Judith SchellekensRob N J Comans

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