Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration by agroforestry systems in southeastern Brazil.
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, José Cola Zanuncio, Pedro Guilherme Lemes
Author Information
Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. carlos.eleto@ufv.br. ORCID
Laércio Antônio Gonçalves Jacovine: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Sílvio Nolasco de Olivera Neto: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Clyde William Fraisse: Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110570, Gainesville, FL32611, USA.
Carlos Pedro Boechat Soares: Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Fernando de Castro Neto: TTG Brasil Investimentos Florestais Ltda, 18470-130, Itapeva, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lino Roberto Ferreira: Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
José Cola Zanuncio: Departamento de Entomologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Pedro Guilherme Lemes: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 39404-547, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. ORCID
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 COe ha. carbon storage in the aboveground trees and grass biomass were 54.6, 11.4, 25.7 and 5.9 t C ha, and 3.3, 3.6, 3.8 and 3.3 t C ha for systems 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The number of trees necessary to offset the emissions ranged from 17 to 44 trees ha, which was lower than the total planted in the systems. Agroforestry systems sequester CO from the atmosphere and can help the GHG emission-reduction policy of the Brazilian government.
