Estoque de carbono em áreas pioneiras de plantio direto no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The change in land use is an important factor affecting soil C stocks and their distribution in the soil profile. The conversion of native vegetation (NV) for agricultural systems causes a sharp decline in carbon storage in the soil, especially when the soil management is based on intensive and frequent handling and input waste of limited harvest operations. However, the adoption of the preservation system based on minimal soil disturbance and intensive cultivation system can restore levels of soil C stock. Thus , this study aimed to select six pioneer and reference areas of no-till in Rio Grande do Sul, which are now at the stage of consolidated system (>20 years) and paired with nearby native vegetation. This study is divided into three chapters: a) the first evaluated the accumulation and redistribution of carbon in the profile; b) second chapter evaluated key elements in the accumulation of carbon in the surface (0-15 cm) and deep (60-100 cm) layers c) and the third chapter tested the hypothesis that the CSR is affected by soil order and climate type. The main treatments were soil tillage and different cropping systems in two long-term experiments. The implementation of no-till for the six areas ranged from 1978 to 1990, with different textural and mineralogical gradients. Soil samples were collected at five soil depths in a soil profile (0-100 cm). The C content in the soil was determined by dry combustion analyzer using a C/N. The soil C stock was calculated based on the equivalent mass of soil. The principal component analysis (PCA) were performed with the Statistica software version 7 and used a data matrix consisting of 24 variables (attributes of climate, topography and soil surface and subsurface layer). Multiple regressions were also performed to model the C stock in the layer 0-15 and 60-100 cm depth, the method of "Stepwise" selection technique of Forward variables. The statistical regression analyzes were performed using the program JMP iN version 3.2.1 (SALL et al. 2005), using the F test at 5% significance. In chapter 1 data presented indicate that site 1 (Santa Rosa) showed the most reduction in C stock for the conversion of NV to cropping system, ranging 32-39%. C stock surface (0-5 cm) was fully recovered at site 2 (Manoel Viana), site 3 (Palm Missions), site 4 (Lagoa Vermelha) and site 5 (Cruz Alta), with this recovery of 144 % for Typic Quartzipisamment and ranging from 100 to 122% for Oxisols. The biggest changes, with regard to redistribution and increase of carbon storage occurred in the Oxisol, site 4 (Lagoa Vermelha) and 5 (Cruz Alta). There was an increase in the concentrations of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the Lagoa Vermelha and Cruz Alta, sites 4 and 5, across sampled profile relative to NV. In chapter 2 the factors that determined the accumulation of C were different in the condition of subsuperfical layer (60-100 cm) in relation to the surface layer (0-15 cm). In the surface layer (0-15 cm), the saturation of calcium, magnesium, effective cation exchange capacity (CEC) and SOM were positively correlated with the C stock in both no-till and NV. In the subsurface layer (60-100 cm) the attributes that best correlated positively with the C stock in the no-till were altitude and soil organic matter (SOM) in the no-till, and clay, and iron oxides SOM in NV. The highest altitude (801 m) and lower mean annual temperature (16.7°C) favored the accumulation of C stock of surface (0-15 cm) and subsoil (60-100 cm) in no-till. Being that the change in mean annual temperature in the subsurface horizon was more sensitive correlation with the C stock (R2= -0.91) compared to the surface horizon (R2= -0.81). In Chapter 3, the higher CSR and CPI indices were found under treatments with minimum soil disturbance and intensive crop rotation. Lower CSR and CPI values were associated with frequent mobilization and lower crop diversity. These CSR indices sensitively distinguished the intensity of tillage (NT replacing CT) and cropping systems (cover crops replacing winter fallow or crop succession).Therefore, given these results, the combination of the no-till with the intensification of cultivation of long-term systems is an efficient tool for the recovery of soil C, playing a crucial role in productivity, environmental ecosystem and soil quality.