Soil carbon stocks and labile fractions of organic matter under agroforestry system in breast of pernambucan altitude

Abstract

Intense soil preparation and disturbance in crops, over time, reduces the quantity and quality of soil organic matter. Given this context, this work aimed to determine soil carbon stocks and labile fractions under agroforestry system (AFS) and toposequences in an altitude marsh, Taquaritinga do Norte, Pernambuco, Brazil. The study was carried out at the Yaguara farm, and the areas studied were native forest with 4.57 ha and coffee plantation in shade with native forest with 25.59 ha. Soil samples were collected in four trenches measuring 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.60 m, with a distance of 50 meters. Soils were collected at depths of 0–20, 20–40 and 40-60 cm, followed by chemical, physical and density analyzes to determine soil carbon stocks and labile fractions. The area with shaded coffee showed higher values ​​of soil carbon stocks at depths of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm. At a depth of 40-60 cm, the AFS top toposequence showed the highest carbon stock with 11.73 Mg ha-1, followed by the area with native vegetation with 10.6 Mg ha-1, slope with 9.23 Mg ha-1 and pediment with 7.00 Mg ha-1. It was found that the top toposequence with shaded coffee exhibited a greater stock of labile carbon at depth 0-20 cm with a value of 1.06 Mg ha-1, followed by the bedding areas (SAF) with 0.88 Mg ha-1, native forest with 0.79 Mg ha-1 and slope with 0.67 g kg-1. However, the area of native vegetation showed the highest value of labile carbon at a depth of 40-60 cm. It was concluded that the area with shaded coffee in the top toposequence showed great capacity to increase total carbon stocks and labile carbon stocks of soil organic matter.

Fractions of Organic Matter and Soil Carbon Balance in Different Phases of an Agroforestry System in the Cerrado: A Ten-Year Field Assessment

“…In general, the complexity of the system over time promoted a greater accumulation of C, contributing to the reduction in GHG emissions into the atmosphere. Several factors contribute to the greater storage of C in agroforestry systems, including the intense biologi-cal activity of microorganisms, root exudates, humus formation and greater decomposition of litter [12,27,28]. Soil organic carbon is the main component of C in terrestrial ecosystems and an indicator of soil quality [29].…”