Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration by agroforestry systems in southeastern Brazil

Agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems can increase carbon sequestration, offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce the carbon footprint generated by animal production. The objective of this study was to estimate GHG emissions, the tree and grass aboveground biomass production and carbon...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres, Laércio Antônio Gonçalves Jacovine, Sílvio Nolasco de Olivera Neto, Clyde William Fraisse, Carlos Pedro Boechat Soares, Fernando de Castro Neto, Lino Roberto Ferreira, Jose Cola Zanuncio, Pedro Guilherme Lemes Alves
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2017
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UFMG
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.ufmg.br:1843/42039
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1843/42039
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Agrosilvicultura
Florestas
Efeito estufa (Atmosfera)
Sequestro de carbono
Biomassa vegetal
Description
Summary:Agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems can increase carbon sequestration, offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce the carbon footprint generated by animal production. The objective of this study was to estimate GHG emissions, the tree and grass aboveground biomass production and carbon storage in different agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems in southeastern Brazil. The number of trees required to offset these emissions were also estimated. The GHG emissions were calculated based on pre-farm (e.g. agrochemical production, storage, and transportation), and on-farm activities (e.g. fertilization and machinery operation). Aboveground tree grass biomass and carbon storage in all systems was estimated with allometric equations. GHG emissions from the agroforestry systems ranged from 2.81 to 7.98 t CO2e ha−1. Carbon storage in the aboveground trees and grass biomass were 54.6, 11.4, 25.7 and 5.9 t C ha−1, and 3.3, 3.6, 3.8 and 3.3 t C ha−1 for systems 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The number of trees necessary to offset the emissions ranged from 17 to 44 trees ha−1, which was lower than the total planted in the systems. Agroforestry systems sequester CO2 from the atmosphere and can help the GHG emission-reduction policy of the Brazilian government.

Similar Items