Cost-effective restoration for carbon sequestration across Brazil's biomes.

Tropical ecosystems are central to the global focus on halting and reversing habitat destruction as a means of mitigating carbon emissions. Brazil has been highlighted as a vital part of global climate agreements because, whilst ongoing land-use change causes it to be the world's fifth biggest greenhouse gas emitting country, it also has one of the greatest potentials to implement ecosystem restoration. Global carbon markets provide the opportunity of a financially viable way to implement restoration projects at scale. However, except for rainforests, the restoration potential of many major tropical biomes is not widely recognised, with the result that carbon sequestration potential may be squandered. We synthesize data on land availability, land degradation status, restoration costs, area of native vegetation remaining, carbon storage potential and carbon market prices for 5475 municipalities across Brazil's major biomes, including the savannas and tropical dry forests. Using a modelling analysis, we determine how fast restoration could be implemented across these biomes within existing carbon markets. We argue that even with a sole focus on carbon, we must restore other tropical biomes, as well as rainforests, to effectively increase benefits. The inclusion of dry forests and savannas doubles the area which could be restored in a financially viable manner, increasing the potential CO2e sequestered >40 % above that offered by rainforests alone. Importantly, we show that in the short-term avoiding emissions through conservation will be necessary for Brazil to achieve it's 2030 climate goal, because it can sequester 1.5 to 4.3 Pg of CO2e by 2030, relative to 0.127 Pg CO2e from restoration. However, in the longer term, restoration across all biomes in Brazil could draw down between 3.9 and 9.8 Pg of CO2e from the atmosphere by 2050 and 2080.

Factors affecting savanna and forest regeneration in pastures across the cerrado.

The Cerrado region comprises the world's most biodiverse savanna and the largest cultivated pastures for cattle in Brazil. Forty percent of these pastures are unproductive or degraded, with bare soil and native vegetation increasingly replacing exotic forage grasses. This study sought to investigate the regeneration of native vegetation in the pastures of the Cerrado and to evaluate the contribution of biophysical, land management, and landscape attributes to this process. Across the Cerrado, we analyzed pasture plant communities and the attributes of pasture management intensification, fire events, landscape native vegetation cover, and climate and soil types of 93 active pastures and 15 abandoned pastures. For the abandoned pastures, time since abandonment was an additional variable. On actively cultivated pastures, savanna regeneration varied from 0 to 70%, with a diversity of herbs and woody species. Pasture management was the main predictor of savanna regeneration on cultivated pastures. On abandoned pastures, time since abandonment was the main predictor. Exotic grass cover had a strong negative relationship with savanna regeneration and they were present even in pastures abandoned for 44 years. Our study reveals the potential of natural regeneration of the Cerrado and its particular predictors. The occurrence of pastures with high natural regeneration indicates that national policies can promote native vegetation restoration and silvopastoral systems with predictable, low cost implementation.

A classification of cultivated pastures in the Brazilian Cerrado for sustainable intensification and savanna restoration.

The Brazilian Cerrado, with over 200 million hectares, has approximately 28% of its area occupied by cultivated pasturelands and 39% of them are degraded. In this study, we propose a new classification of the Cerrado pastures and recommendations for sustainable intensification and savanna restoration. We propose seven classes of pastures based on the ground cover proportions of exotic grass, bare soil, and native vegetation. These lands need to be acknowledged for their biodiversity conservation and potential for sustainable intensification and restoration. In order to make ecological intensification available for the ranchers, research and technology transfer have to embrace native tree species-based silviculture, native-grass-based forage management and enhancement, and value chain of biodiversity-friendly products. The pasture management proposals of this paper are based on a concept of biodiversity as an ecosystem service, promoting local productivity and global ecosystem services.

The neglected contribution of mound-building termites on CH4 emissions in Brazilian pastures

Based on previous reports, our study aimed to obtain the first estimate on the contribution of termite mounds to CH4 emissions in Brazilian Cerrado pastures. We estimated that termite mounds occupy an area larger than 200,000 ha in degraded pastures, an important loss of grazing area considering the current scenario of land-use change of pastures to other crops in Brazil. Moreover, mound-building termites in degraded pastures may be responsible for CH4 emissions greater than 11 Mt CO2 eq. yr−1, which would notably affect the greenhouse gases (GHG) balance of grass-fed cattle production in Brazil. In this sense, it is urgent to conduct field-scale studies about the CH4 emissions by mound-building termites in pastures and its contribution to the C footprint of Brazilian beef.

Efeito de diferentes fontes e solubilidades de fósforo no desenvolvimento e nutrição do capim Mombaça / Effect of different phosphorus sources and solubilities in Mombaça grass development and nutrition

O fósforo é primordial para as pastagens e a adubação combinada com fontes fosfatadas podem aumentar qualidade nutricional e produtiva do Mombaça. Objetivou-se avaliar as características morfológicas, produtivas e nutricionais do capim Mombaça submetido a combinações de fontes de fósforo solúvel e natural. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com dez tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de três fontes e seis combinações de fontes de fosforo equivalente a 90 kg ha-1 de P2O5, sendo: Controle, Rejeito de rocha fosfática (RJ), Superfosfato triplo (ST), Yoorin Master 1 (YR), RJ + ST (70% e 30%), RJ + ST (50% e 50%), RJ + YR (70% e 30%), RJ + YR (50% e 50%), YR + ST (70% e 30%), YR + ST (50% e 50%). O capim Mombaça foi cultivado durante três cortes (60, 105 e 150 DAS).  As combinações YR + ST (50% e 50%), YR + ST (70% e 30%) e RJ + YR (50% e 50%) proporcionaram resultados positivos para caracteres agronômicos e as fontes RJ, RJ + ST (50% e 50%) e RJ + YR (50% e 50%) para teor de P. A adubação fosfatada, independentemente da fonte e mistura, propiciou incremento no capim Mombaça.(AU)

Phosphorus is primordial for pasture and fertilization combined with phosphate sources that can increase the nutritional and productive quality of Mombasa. With that, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological, productive and nutritional characteristics of Mombaça grass submitted to combinations of soluble and natural phosphorus sources. The experimental design was randomized with ten treatments and four replications. Controls consist of three sources and six combinations of phosphorus sources equivalent to 90 kg ha-1 of P2O5, namely: Control, Phosphate Rock Tailings (RJ), Triple Superphosphate (ST), Yoorin Master 1 (YR), RJ + ST (70% and 30%), RJ + ST (50% and 50%), RJ + YR (70% and 30%),RJ + YR (50% and 50%), YR + ST (70% and 30) %), YR + ST (50% and 50%). Mombasa grass was grown in three cuts (60, 105 and 150 DAS). As combinations YR + ST (50% and 50%), YR + ST (70% and 30%) and RJ + YR (50% and 50%) provided positive results for agronomic characters and as RJ, RJ + ST (50 % and 50%) and RJ + YR (50% and 50%) for the P content. The phosphate addition, the source reduction and the mixture increased the Mombaça grass.(AU)

Efeito de diferentes fontes e solubilidades de fósforo no desenvolvimento e nutrição do capim Mombaça / Effect of different phosphorus sources and solubilities in Mombaça grass development and nutrition

O fósforo é primordial para as pastagens e a adubação combinada com fontes fosfatadas podem aumentar qualidade nutricional e produtiva do Mombaça. Objetivou-se avaliar as características morfológicas, produtivas e nutricionais do capim Mombaça submetido a combinações de fontes de fósforo solúvel e natural. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com dez tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de três fontes e seis combinações de fontes de fosforo equivalente a 90 kg ha-1 de P2O5, sendo: Controle, Rejeito de rocha fosfática (RJ), Superfosfato triplo (ST), Yoorin Master 1 (YR), RJ + ST (70% e 30%), RJ + ST (50% e 50%), RJ + YR (70% e 30%), RJ + YR (50% e 50%), YR + ST (70% e 30%), YR + ST (50% e 50%). O capim Mombaça foi cultivado durante três cortes (60, 105 e 150 DAS).  As combinações YR + ST (50% e 50%), YR + ST (70% e 30%) e RJ + YR (50% e 50%) proporcionaram resultados positivos para caracteres agronômicos e as fontes RJ, RJ + ST (50% e 50%) e RJ + YR (50% e 50%) para teor de P. A adubação fosfatada, independentemente da fonte e mistura, propiciou incremento no capim Mombaça.

Phosphorus is primordial for pasture and fertilization combined with phosphate sources that can increase the nutritional and productive quality of Mombasa. With that, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological, productive and nutritional characteristics of Mombaça grass submitted to combinations of soluble and natural phosphorus sources. The experimental design was randomized with ten treatments and four replications. Controls consist of three sources and six combinations of phosphorus sources equivalent to 90 kg ha-1 of P2O5, namely: Control, Phosphate Rock Tailings (RJ), Triple Superphosphate (ST), Yoorin Master 1 (YR), RJ + ST (70% and 30%), RJ + ST (50% and 50%), RJ + YR (70% and 30%),RJ + YR (50% and 50%), YR + ST (70% and 30) %), YR + ST (50% and 50%). Mombasa grass was grown in three cuts (60, 105 and 150 DAS). As combinations YR + ST (50% and 50%), YR + ST (70% and 30%) and RJ + YR (50% and 50%) provided positive results for agronomic characters and as RJ, RJ + ST (50 % and 50%) and RJ + YR (50% and 50%) for the P content. The phosphate addition, the source reduction and the mixture increased the Mombaça grass.

Fertilization with liquid swine manure increases productivity and improves the quality of Urochloa decumbens / Fertilização com dejeto líquido suíno aumenta a produtividade e melhora a qualidade da Urochloa decumbens

This study aims at assessing the influence of mineral fertilization and biofertilizer from liquid swine manure (LSM) in productivity, levels of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) of Urochloa decumbens. The experiment was carried out in a red Latosol under a Urochloa decumbens pasture, in a state of degradation with loss of vigor and forage productivity. The delineation chosen for this study was randomized blocks with six treatments (control without fertilization, control with use of mineral fertilizer and four unique concentrations of liquid swine manure biofertilizer (61 m3 ha-1, 121 m3 ha-1, 181 m3 ha-1, 241 m3 ha-1)). The application of residue has been split in two times on the surface of the soil, by means of a distributor of liquid waste with a fan-shaped application. Yield and bromatological features were evaluated for two years. Fertilization with LSM can fully replace mineral fertilizing in Urochloa decumbens pasture systems, resulting in an increase, as a result, in the dry mass yield from the dosage of 121 m3 ha-1 and the reduction in fiber content in neutral and acid detergent. The increments in yield were observed in the second year, while improvement in bromatological quality was observed from the first application of LSM.

Objetivou-se avaliar a influência da fertilização mineral e do biofertilizante de dejeto líquido suíno (DLS) na produtividade, teores de Proteína Bruta (PB), Fibra em Detergente Neutro (FDN) e Fibra em Detergente Ácido (FDA) da Urochloa decumbens. O experimento foi desenvolvido em um Latossolo vermelho sob pastagem de Urochloa decumbens, em estado de degradação evoluída com perda de vigor e produtividade da forrageira. O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados com seis tratamentos (controle sem fertilização, controle com uso de fertilizante mineral e quatro concentrações exclusivas de biofertilizante de dejeto líquido suíno (61 m3 ha-1, 121 m3 ha-1, 181 m3 ha-1, 241 m3 ha-1)). A aplicação do resíduo foi parcelada em duas vezes na superfície do solo, por meio de um distribuidor de resíduos líquidos com a aplicação em leque. Foram avaliadas por dois anos a produtividade, e as caracterizações bromatológica foliares. A fertilização com DLS pode substituir integralmente a fertilização mineral no sistema de pastejo de Urochloa decumbens, aumentando a produtividade de massa seca a partir da dosagem de 121 m3 ha-1 e redução no teor de Fibras em detergente neutro e ácido. Os incrementos na produtividade foram observados no segundo ano, ao passo que melhoria na qualidade gramatológicas foi observada a partir da primeira aplicação do DLS.

The modeling of pasture conservation and of its impact on stream water quality using Partial Least Squares-Path Modeling.

Cattle grazing is a major source of income across the globe, and therefore conservation of pastures is vital to society. Pasture conservation requires the full understanding of factors contributing to their degradation, which is facilitated through panoramic analyses capable to handle all factors and capture their relationships at once. In this study, Partial Least Squares - Path Modeling (PLS-PM) was used to accomplish that task. The study area was the Environmental Protection Area of Uberaba River Basin (525 km2), located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and extensively used for livestock pasturing (51%). The selected (15) contributing factors comprised soil characteristics (e.g., organic matter, phosphorus content), runoff indicators (e.g., percentage of sand and clay in the soil), environmental land use conflicts (deviations of actual from natural uses), stream water quality parameters (e.g., oxidation-reduction potential-ORP, turbidity), and pasture conservation indicators (extent of degraded pasture within a pre-defined buffer). These measured variables were assembled into 5 conceptual (latent) variables to form the PLS-PM model, namely Groundcover, Pasture Conservation, Surface Runoff, Environmental Land Use Conflicts and Water Quality. The results elected Groundcover as prominent contributor to Pasture Conservation, because of its largest regression (path) coefficient (ß = 0.984). The most influent measured variable was organic matter. Surface Runoff (ß = -0.108) and Environmental Land Use Conflicts (ß = -0.135) contribute to pasture degradation. The role of conflicts is, however, limited to predefined areas where the deviations of actual from natural uses are more expressive. Pasture Conservation contributes unequivocally to improved Water Quality (ß = 0.800), expressed as high ORP. The PLS-PM model was free from multi-collinearity problems and model fits (R2) were high. This gives us confidence to implement conservation measures and improved management techniques based on the PLS-PM results, and to transpose the model to other areas requiring pasture quality improvements.

Improved Pastures Support Early Indicators of Soil Restoration in Low-input Agroecosystems of Nicaragua.

Pasture degradation hinders livestock production and ecosystem services that support rural smallholder communities throughout Latin America. Silvopastoral systems, with improved pasture cultivars (especially Brachiaria spp.) and multipurpose trees, offer a promising strategy to restore soils and improve livelihoods in the region. However, studies evaluating the impact of such systems on pasture productivity and soil health under realistic smallholder constraints are lacking. We evaluated the impact of improved pasture grass and tree establishment on a suite of soil health indicators in actively grazed, low-input, farmer-managed silvopastoral systems. In August 2013, paired pasture treatments (improved grass with trees vs. traditional pastures) were established on nine farms with similar land-use histories near Matagalpa, Nicaragua. On each farm, one treatment was left as traditional pasture with naturalized grass (Hyparrhenia rufa), while the adjacent treatment was sown with the improved grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) and planted with tree saplings without fertilizer. In August 2015, we measured standing biomass and a suite of chemical, biological, and physical soil health variables. Improved silvopastoral systems with B. brizantha produced more standing grass biomass and supported higher levels of earthworm populations and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) compared to the traditional control. Correlations suggest that earthworms and POXC were associated with incipient improvements to soil aggregate stability and water holding capacity. We report measurable improvements to soil health just two years following the establishment of improved pasture systems under common smallholder management practices and suggest that these systems, even with minimal fertility inputs, have the potential to enhance regional sustainability.

Assessing soil carbon stocks under pastures through orbital remote sensing

The growing demand of world food and energy supply increases the threat of global warming due to higher greenhouse gas emissions by agricultural activity. Therefore, it is widely admitted that agriculture must establish a new paradigm in terms of environmental sustainability that incorporate techniques for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. This article addresses to the scientific demand to estimate in a fast and inexpensive manner current and potential soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in degraded pastures, using remote sensing techniques. Four pastures on sandy soils under Brazilian Cerrado vegetation in São Paulo state were chosen due to their SOC sequestration potential, which was characterized for the soil depth 0-50 cm. Subsequently, a linear regression analysis was performed between SOC and Leaf Area Index (LAI) measured in the field (LAIfield) and derived by satellite (LAIsatellite) as well as SOC and pasture reflectance in six spectra from 450 nm - 2350 nm, using the Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) sensor of satellite Landsat 7. A high correlation between SOC and LAIfield (R² = 0.9804) and LAIsatellite (R² = 0.9812) was verified. The suitability of satellite derived LAI for SOC determination leads to the assumption, that orbital remote sensing is a very promising SOC estimation technique from regional to global scale.

Assessing soil carbon stocks under pastures through orbital remote sensing

The growing demand of world food and energy supply increases the threat of global warming due to higher greenhouse gas emissions by agricultural activity. Therefore, it is widely admitted that agriculture must establish a new paradigm in terms of environmental sustainability that incorporate techniques for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. This article addresses to the scientific demand to estimate in a fast and inexpensive manner current and potential soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in degraded pastures, using remote sensing techniques. Four pastures on sandy soils under Brazilian Cerrado vegetation in São Paulo state were chosen due to their SOC sequestration potential, which was characterized for the soil depth 0-50 cm. Subsequently, a linear regression analysis was performed between SOC and Leaf Area Index (LAI) measured in the field (LAIfield) and derived by satellite (LAIsatellite) as well as SOC and pasture reflectance in six spectra from 450 nm - 2350 nm, using the Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) sensor of satellite Landsat 7. A high correlation between SOC and LAIfield (R² = 0.9804) and LAIsatellite (R² = 0.9812) was verified. The suitability of satellite derived LAI for SOC determination leads to the assumption, that orbital remote sensing is a very promising SOC estimation technique from regional to global scale.