The influence of a silvopastoral system on carbon stocks in the Brazilian Savanna

Abstract

Climate changes have caused wide ranges of adversities. The deforestation process, resulting in degradated pastures, is one of the main sources of greenhouse gases. Trees in pastures, constituting silvopastoral systems, have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases levels in the atmosphere. Aimed at evaluating trees’ contribution to carbon sink, the present experiment was conducted in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The system has been under development since 1984, through the natural regeneration of pioneer trees of the species <i>Zeyheria tuberculosa</i> Vell. Bur, a native species of the Brazilian savanna. Tree density was 160 ha^-1 and the grass forage chosen was <i>Brachiaria brizantha</i> cv. Marandu. The total carbon stocked in the silvopastoral systems was 69,536.42 kg ha^-1: 13,995.04 kg, in the trees, 2,430.78 kg in the annual trees litterfall, and 53,110.60 kg in a depth of 0 to 40 cm of soil. Soil carbon stock in the monoculture was 61,081.25 kg ha^-1 of carbon. The apparent increase in the silvopastoral systems carbon stocks demonstrates the possibility of conciliation between animal production and greenhouse gases reduction.