Marcos Siqueira Neto

Root systems and soil microbial biomass under no-tillage system

Some root parameters such as distribution, length, diameter and dry matter are inherent to plant species. Roots can influence microbial population during vegetative cycle through the rhizodeposits and, after senescence, integrating the soil organic matter pool. Since they represent labile substrates, especially regarding nitrogen, they can determine the rate of nutrient availability to the next crop cultivated under no-tillage (NT). The root systems of two crop species: maize (Zea mays L.) cultivar Cargill 909 and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar Embrapa 59, were compared in the field, and their influence on spatial distribution of the microbial C and N in a clayey-textured Typic Hapludox cultivated for 22 years under NT, at Tibagi, State of Parana (PR), Brazil, was determined. Digital image processing and nail-plate techniques were used to evaluate 40 plots of a 80 ´ 50 ´ 3 cm soil profile. It was observed that 36% and 30% of the maize and soybeans roots, respectively, are concentrated in the 0 to 10 cm soil layer. The percent distribution of root dry matter was similar for both crops. The maize roots presented a total of 1,324 kg C ha-1 and 58 kg N ha-1, with higher root dry matter density and more roots in decomposition in the upper soil layer, decreasing with depth. The soybean roots (392 kg C ha-1 and 21 kg N ha-1) showed higher number of thinner roots and higher density per length unity compared to the maize. The maize roots enhanced microbial-C down to deeper soil layers than did the soybean roots. The microbial N presented a better correlation with the concentration of thin active roots and with roots in decomposition or in indefinite shape, possibly because of higher concentration of C and N easily assimilated by soil microorganisms.

Evidence of limited carbon sequestration in soils under no-tillage systems in the Cerrado of Brazil

The Brazilian government aims at augmenting the area cropped under no-tillage (NT) from 32 to 40 million ha by 2020 as a means to mitigate CO2 emissions. We estimated soil carbon (C) sequestration under continuous NT systems in two municipalities in the Goiás state that are representative of the Cerrado. A chronosequence of NT fields of different age since conversion from conventional tillage (CT) was sampled in 2003 and 2011. Soil C levels of native Cerrado and pasture were measured for comparison. After about 11 to 14 years, soil C stocks under NT were highest and at the levels of those under natural Cerrado. Average annual rates of soil C sequestration estimated using the chronosequence approach were respectively 1.61 and 1.48 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 for the 2003 and 2011 sampling, and were higher than those observed using repeated sampling after eight years. The diachronic sampling revealed that the younger NT fields tended to show higher increases in soil C stocks than the older fields. Converting an extra 8 million ha of cropland from CT to NT represents an estimated soil C storage of about 8 Tg C yr−1 during 10 to 15 years.

Emissão de gases do efeito estufa em diferentes usos da terra no bioma Cerrado

The conversion of native forests by cutting and burning into farming areas leads to alterations in the dynamics of soil organic matter, with changes in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs: CO2, CH4 and N2O) from the biosphere to the atmosphere. These cause an average temperature rise and, consequently, global climate change. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between the fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O with moisture, microbial biomass and inorganic N forms in soil with different land uses in the Cerrado biome (Rio Verde county, State of Goias - Brazil). The climate (Koppen-Geiger) was classified as Aw and the soil as Latossolo Vermelho distrofico caulinitico / a clayey kaolinitic Oxisol under original Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) vegetation. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments (areas): Native vegetation - Cerrado (CE); brachiaria pasture (PA); soybean in conventional tillage (SC) and no-tillage (NT) corn followed by millet. No significant differences in annual CO2 and N2O emissions were observed between treatments. This can be explained by the variability of gas fluxes due to climate seasonality, with lower emissions in the winter due to low soil moisture. Mean emissions of CO2 were 108.9 ± 85.6 mg m-2 h-1 , and of N2O 13.5 ± 7.6 mg m-2 h-1 . For CH4 significant differences in the fluxes were only observed in pasture (32 mg m-2 h-1 ), while in the other areas inflows between 46 and 15 mg m-2 h-1 were observed. The GHG fluxes showed close correlation with soil moisture. The N-NO3- emissions were significantly correlated with CO2-emissions in all areas. Considering all treatments together, the three GHG fluxes were correlated with the microbial C and N contents. However, the Cmicro: Nmicro ratio was not significantly correlated with the GHG flux. Only for pasture the CO2 and N2O fluxes were correlated with the content of soil inorganic-N. Results suggested that the GHG fluxes in the Cerrado are related to rainfall, mainly in farming areas treated with high fertilizer doses to increase productivity.

Direct N2O emission factors for synthetic N‐fertilizer and organic residues applied on sugarcane for bioethanol production in Central‐Southern Brazil

The production and use of biofuels have increased rapidly in recent decades. Bioethanol derived from sugarcane has become a promising alternative to fossil fuel for use in automotive vehicles. The ‘savings’ calculated from the carbon footprint of this energy source still generates many questions related to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from sugarcane cultivation. We quantified N2O emissions from soil covered with different amounts of sugarcane straw and determined the direct N2O emission factors of nitrogen fertilizers (applied at the planting furrows and in the topdressing) and the by‐products of sugarcane processing (filter cake and vinasse) applied to sugarcane fields. The results showed that the presence of different amounts of sugarcane straw did not change N2O emissions relative to bare soil (control). N‐fertilizer increased N2O emissions from the soil, especially when urea was used, both at the planting furrow (plant cane) and during the regrowth process (ratoon cane) in relation to ammonium nitrate. The emission factor for N‐fertilizer was 0.46 ± 0.33%. The field application of filter cake and vinasse favored N2O emissions from the soil, the emission factor for vinasse was 0.65 ± 0.29%, while filter cake had a lower emission factor of 0.13 ± 0.04%. The experimentally obtained N2O emission factors associated with sugarcane cultivation, specific to the major sugarcane production region of the Brazil, were lower than those considered by the IPCC. Thus, the results of this study should contribute to bioethanol carbon footprint calculations.

Mineralização e desnitrificação do nitrogênio no solo sob sistema plantio direto

The knowledge of N dynamics in soil can facilitate the decision about crop rotation and the fertilizer application to the crops. The objective of this study was to quantify the soil N-stocks, inorganic-N and changes in the net mineralization and denitrification in a soil under no-tillage (NT). The experiment was set up at Santa Branca Farm in Tibagi (Parana State , Brazil), on a clayey Oxisoil (Typic Hapludox) and was carried out from September 2000 to October 2001. The treatments were applied in non-random strips with split plots: no-tillage during 12 and 22 years with corn/wheat and soybean/wheat succession. Quantity of inorganic-N and the net mineralization and nitrification were higher under 22-years of adoption in relation to the 12-year-old NT. The crop succession used did not affect the average net mineralization and net nitrification. The N2O emissions were 25% higher in corn/wheat crop succession in relation to the soybean/wheat. Increasing time of no-tillage adoption increased the soil N stock, inorganic-N and net mineralization in the soil, but the different years of adoption of NT did not lead to changes in N2O emissions.

Carbono total e δ13C em agregados do solo sob vegetação nativa e pastagem no bioma cerrado

Different management systems affect soil C, however decreases in the C stocks of native Cerrado areas converted to pasture have been reported. This calls for further research on this trend, under different management systems and soil-climatic conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil aggregation, C levels and natural abundance of δ13C in a 20 year-old pasture (PA), following nine years of cropping, with signs of degradation compared to soil under native Cerrado (CE) in an adjacent area. The studied areas are located in Rio Verde, state of Goias (Brazil), with soil classified as clayey Oxisol. In samples from the layers 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm the distribution of water stable aggregates (microaggregates, mesoaggregates and macroaggregates), mean weight diameter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (DMG), C contents and δ13C, the mean residence time of C (TRM), and the free light fraction of organic matter (FLL) were determined. Results indicated that grazing after cropping reduced the original C stock by 21 %, possibly due to a lower FLL input. Soil showed high aggregation and no significant difference between the assessed areas was observed. However, C levels in macroaggregates were lower in PA compared to CE, while in microaggregates C was not affected, suggesting, respectively, greater and lower sensitivity to management and lower and greater protection of C by these aggregate classes. Values of TRM and isotopic abundance reinforced these findings, showing a replacement of 83 % of the original C after crop and pasture cultivation for 29 years. A constant application of plant residues to the soil surface as well as C maintenance within macro and mesoaggregates are essential factors to ensure C accumulation in this soil type.

Estoques de carbono e nitrogênio no solo cultivado com mamona na Caatinga

Grande parte da producao brasileira de mamona encontra-se no Nordeste, como opcao de cultura para a regiao semiarida no bioma Caatinga. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as alteracoes nos estoques de C e N devido a mudanca de uso do solo de vegetacao natural para o cultivo de mamona no bioma Caatinga. Este trabalho foi realizado na Fazenda Floresta, no municipio de Irece, no centro-norte baiano. O clima da regiao e do tipo BSwh (Koppen) - clima semiarido de altitude. O solo foi classificado em Latossolo Vermelho de textura argilosa. As situacoes avaliadas foram: tres areas cultivadas com mamona com diferentes tempos de implantacao: (i) com 10 anos, (ii) com 20 anos e (iii) com 50 anos; e uma area de referencia (vegetacao nativa de Caatinga) contigua as situacoes avaliadas. Os estoques de C e N foram determinados em amostras de solo coletadas em cinco minitrincheiras, nas camadas de 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 e 20-30 cm. Os resultados mostraram que o constante aporte de residuos vegetais na Caatinga promoveu a manutencao dos estoques de C (90 Mg ha-1) e N (10 Mg ha-1) para a camada de 0-30 cm. A mudanca de uso da terra para o cultivo da mamona ocasiona reducao em aproximadamente 50 % nos estoques de C e N do solo em relacao a vegetacao nativa nos primeiros 10 anos de implantacao da cultura. A meia-vida da materia orgânica do solo (MOS) calculada para essa situacao na regiao do semiarido foi de 4,7 anos. O fator de emissao de C do solo, devido a mudanca de uso da terra apos 20 anos, conforme proposto pelo metodo do IPCC (2006), foi de 2,47 Mg C ano-1. Por meio do conjunto dos resultados, observa-se a fragilidade do solo do bioma Caatinga no que se refere a perda de MOS devido a mudanca de uso da terra.

Biogeochemical diversity, O2-supersaturation and hot moments of GHG emissions from shallow alkaline lakes in the Pantanal of Nhecolândia, Brazil

Nhecolândia is a vast sub-region of the Pantanal wetland in Brazil with great diversity in surface water chemistry evolving in a sodic alkaline pathway under the influence of evaporation. In this region, >15,000 shallow lakes are likely to contribute an enormous quantity of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere, but the diversity of the biogeochemical scenarios and their variability in time and space is a major challenge to estimate the regional contribution. From 4 selected alkaline lakes, we compiled measurements of the physico-chemical characteristics of water and sediments, gas fluxes in floating chambers, and sedimentation rates to illustrate this diversity. Although these lakes have a similar chemical composition, the results confirm a difference between the black-water and green-water alkaline lakes, corresponding to distinct biogeochemical functioning. This difference does not appear to affect lake sedimentation rates, but is reflected in gas emissions. Black-water lakes are CO2 and CH4 sources, with fairly constant emissions throughout the seasons. Annual carbon dioxide and methane emissions approach 0.86molm-2y-1 and 0.07molm-2y-1, respectively, and no clear trend towards N2O capture or emission was observed. By contrast, green-water lakes are CO2 and N2O sinks but important CH4 sources with fluxes varying significantly throughout the seasons, depending on the magnitude of the phytoplankton bloom. The results highlight important daily and seasonal variations in gas fluxes, and in particular a hot moments for methane emissions, when the O2-supersaturation is reached during the afternoon under extreme bloom and sunny weather conditions, provoking an abrupt O2 purging of the lakes. Taking into account the seasonal variability, annual methane emissions are around 10.2molm-2y-1, i.e., much higher than reported in previous studies for alkaline lakes in Nhecolândia. Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide consumption is estimated about 1.9molm-2y-1 and 0.73mmolm-2y-1, respectively. However, these balances must be better constrained with systematic and targeted measurements throughout the seasons.

Soil carbon stocks cultivated with coffee in the brazilian savana: Effect of cultivation time and use of organic compost

Land-use change (LUC) is one of the main responsible for the loss of soil organic matter (SOM) in the form of CO 2 to atmosphere. The aims of the present study were i) evaluate soil C stocks due to coffee cultivation time after LUC and ii) evaluate the use of the organic compost from the by-product of bean processing as a source of SOM. The study was performed in dystrophic red latosol in the municipality of Patrocinio, MG, Brazil. Two evaluations were performed; i) three coffee ( Coffea arabica L. var. Icatu Vermelho) growing areas with different implantation times (8, 15 and 37 years) in relation to Cerrado stricto sensu (reference); and ii) area cultivated with coffee ( C. arabica var. Bourbon Vermelho) that received organic compost for four years. Soil was sampled in layers 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm. In the first study, the C stock (0-20 cm) was higher under native vegetation (67 Mg C ha -1 ) in relation to the coffee growing (63 Mg C ha -1 ), however, did not differ significantly and showed subtle loss rates of 0.12; 0.06 and 0.02 Mg C ha -1 year -1 for 8, 15 and 37 years, respectively. In the second study, the organic compost applied to the soil increased the C stock (0-20 cm) to 4.6 Mg C ha -1 and showed an accumulation rate of 1.15 Mg C ha -1 year -1 . Thus, it is concluded that C stocks is reduced in the soil due to LUC, however, the application of organic compost increased the supply of organic material, favoring the maintenance and even increasing the stock in the soil.