Carbon and Methane as Indicators of Environmental Efficiency of a Silvopastoral System in Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Aureane Cristina Teixeira Ferreira Cândido (), Taiane Alves da Silva, Bruno Uéslei Ferreira Cândido, Raphael Tapajós, Siglea Sanna Noirtin Freitas Chaves, Arystides Resende Silva, Werlleson Nascimento, Carlos Tadeu dos Santos Dias, Paulo Campos Christo Fernandes, Moacyr Bernardino Dias-Filho, Leila Sheila Silva Lisboa, Roberto Giolo de Almeida, José Mauro Sousa de Moura, Troy Patrick Beldini and Lucieta Guerreiro Martorano
Additional contact information
Aureane Cristina Teixeira Ferreira Cândido: Graduate Program in Society, Nature, and Development, Federal University of Western Pará, Vera Paz St., Salé, Santarém 68000-000, Brazil
Taiane Alves da Silva: Graduate Program in Meteorology; Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Ave., Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió 57072-900, Brazil
Bruno Uéslei Ferreira Cândido: Department of Law, Amazon University Center, 335 Rosa Red St., Santarém 68000-000, Brazil
Raphael Tapajós: Graduate Program in Amazon Natural Resources, Federal University of Western Pará, Vera Paz St., Salé, Santarém 68000-000, Brazil
Siglea Sanna Noirtin Freitas Chaves: SolloAgro Program, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 11 Pádua Dias Ave., Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil
Arystides Resende Silva: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Maize and Sorghum), Sete Lagoas 35701-970, Brazil
Werlleson Nascimento: Graduate Program in Statistics and Agricultural Experimentation, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, 235 Pádua Dias Ave., Piracicaba 13400-000, Brazil
Carlos Tadeu dos Santos Dias: Department of Statistics and Applied Mathematics, Federal University of Ceará, Block 910, Pici Campus, Fortaleza 60440-900, Brazil
Paulo Campos Christo Fernandes: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Cerrados), Brasília 73310-970, Brazil
Moacyr Bernardino Dias-Filho: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon), Belém 66000-000, Brazil
Leila Sheila Silva Lisboa: Municipal Secretary Education of Belém, Belém 66000-000, Brazil
Roberto Giolo de Almeida: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Beef Cattle), 830 Rádio Maia Ave., Campo Grande 79106-550, Brazil
José Mauro Sousa de Moura: Graduate Program in Amazon Natural Resources, Federal University of Western Pará, Vera Paz St., Salé, Santarém 68000-000, Brazil
Troy Patrick Beldini: Graduate Program in Society, Nature, and Development, Federal University of Western Pará, Vera Paz St., Salé, Santarém 68000-000, Brazil
Lucieta Guerreiro Martorano: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon), Graduate Program in Society, Nature, and Development, and Graduate Program Bionorte, 98 NS-1A Aly, Santarém 68000-000, Brazil

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-22

Abstract: Livestock systems have been identified as major emitters of greenhouse gases due to the use of extensive areas with degraded pastures. The objective of this study was to analyze carbon (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) fluxes in the atmosphere as indicators of environmental sustainability in silvopastoral systems. CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes from soil to the atmosphere were monitored in a degraded pasture (predominant species: Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) grown in full sun and compared with areas with tree species ( Bertholletia excelsa , Dipteryx odorata , and Khaya grandifoliola ) and productive pasture ( Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) grown in full sun. The study area was in Mojuí dos Campos, western Pará state, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. The evaluations were conducted in a Technological Reference Unit with a silvopastoral system, where animals used the shade of trees during high-temperature periods. The fluxes were measured using an ultraportable greenhouse gas analyzer coupled with static polyvinyl chloride ring chambers installed at the soil–air interface. In conclusion, areas with integrated systems ( B. excelsa + pasture and K. grandifoliola + pasture) were better mitigators of CO 2 emissions; the highest emissions occurred in the degraded pasture area during the rainiest months. The CH 4 fluxes were more intense in the areas with degraded pasture and K. grandifoliola + pasture. Converting degraded pasture areas into integrated crop–livestock–forest systems reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the Amazon over 10 years of implementation. The implementation of integrated crop–livestock–forest systems in long-deforested areas with degraded pastures and a low production capacity showed high potential for changes focused on developing sustainable agriculture in the Amazon.

Keywords: forages; Bertholletia excelsa; Dipteryx odorata; Khaya grandifoliola; greenhouse gases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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