• Authors:
    • Bernoux, M.
    • Bockel, L.
    • Tinlot, M.
    • Lipper, L.
    • Medeiros, K.
    • Benez, M. C.
    • Hissa, H.
    • Branca, G.
  • Source: Land Use Policy
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: This paper presents the results of the EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (EX-ACT) application on two rural development projects in Brazil. The analysis provides an estimate of project impact on GHG emissions and C sequestration indicating net mitigation potential: results show that the Santa Catarina Rural Competitiveness Project has the potential to mitigate 12.2 Mt CO(2)e and the Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project 0.85 Mt CO(2)e. Both projects are successful at promoting activities aimed at reducing rural poverty and also contribute to climate change mitigation, demonstrating the potential importance of sustainable agriculture (improved cropland and grassland management, expansion of agro-forestry systems and protection of forested areas) in delivering environmental services. EX-ACT has also been used as a tool to guide project developers in refining components and activities to increase project environmental benefits. Cost-benefit analysis shows that while both projects generate environmental benefits associated with climate change mitigation, the Santa Catarina Rural Competitiveness Project has significantly higher potential due to the size of the project area and the nature of activities, thus a higher likelihood of potential co-financing from climate finance sources.
  • Authors:
    • Heinemann, A. B.
    • Moreira, J. A. A.
    • Silveira, P. M. da
    • Machado, P. L. O. de A.
    • Costa, A. R. da
    • Leal, W. G. de O.
    • Madari, B. E.
    • Carvalho, M. T. de M.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
  • Volume: 48
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The objective of this work was to measure the fluxes of N2O‑N and NH3‑N throughout the growing season of irrigated common‑bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), as affected by mulching and mineral fertilization. Fluxes of N2O‑N and NH3‑N were evaluated in areas with or without Congo signal grass mulching (Urochloa ruziziensis) or mineral fertilization. Fluxes of N were also measured in a native Cerrado area, which served as reference. Total N2O‑N and NH3‑N emissions were positively related to the increasing concentrations of moisture, ammonium, and nitrate in the crop system, within 0.5 m soil depth. Carbon content in the substrate and microbial biomass within 0.1 m soil depth were favoured by Congo signal grass and related to higher emissions of N2O‑N, regardless of N fertilization. Emission factors (N losses from the applied mineral nitrogen) for N2O‑N (0.01-0.02%) and NH3‑N (0.3-0.6%) were lower than the default value recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Mulch of Congo signal grass benefits N2O‑N emission regardless of N fertilization.
  • Authors:
    • Castanheira, E. G.
    • Freire, F.
  • Source: Journal of Cleaner Production
  • Volume: 54
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The increase in soybean production as a source of protein and oil is being stimulated by the growing demand for livestock feed, food and numerous other applications. Significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can result from land use change due to the expansion and cultivation of soybean. However, this is complex to assess and the results can vary widely. The main goal of this article is to investigate the life-cycle GHG balance for soybean produced in Latin America, assessing the implications of direct land use change emissions and different cultivation systems. A life-cycle model, including inventories for soybean produced in three different climate regions, was developed, addressing land use change, cultivation and transport to Europe. A comprehensive evaluation of alternative land use change scenarios (conversion of tropical forest, forest plantations, perennial crop plantations, savannah and grasslands), cultivation (tillage, reduced tillage and no-tillage) and soybean transportation systems was undertaken. The main results show the importance of land use change in soybean GHG emissions, but significant differences were observed for the alternative scenarios, namely 0.1-17.8 kg CO(2)eq kg(-1) soybean. The original land choice is a critical issue in ensuring the lowest soybean GHG balance and degraded grassland should preferably be used for soybean cultivation. The highest GHG emissions were calculated for tropical moist regions when rainforest is converted into soybean plantations (tillage system). When land use change is not considered, the GHG intensity varies from 0.3 to 0.6 kg CO(2)eq kg(-1) soybean. It was calculated that all tillage systems have higher GHG emissions than the corresponding no-tillage and reduced tillage systems. The results also show that N2O emissions play a major role in the GHG emissions from cultivation, although N2O emission calculations are very sensitive to the parameters and emission factors adopted.
  • Authors:
    • Alves Moreira, J. A.
    • da Silveira, P. M.
    • Oliveira de Almeida Machado, P. L.
    • da Costa, A. R.
    • de Oliveira Leal, W. G.
    • Madari, B. E.
    • de Melo Carvalho, M. T.
    • Heinemann, A. B.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
  • Volume: 48
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The objective of this work was to measure the fluxes of N2O-N and NH3-N throughout the growing season of irrigated common-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), as affected by mulching and mineral fertilization. Fluxes of N2O-N and NH3-N were evaluated in areas with or without Congo signal grass mulching (Urochloa ruziziensis) or mineral fertilization. Fluxes of N were also measured in a native Cerrado area, which served as reference. Total N2O-N and NH3-N emissions were positively related to the increasing concentrations of moisture, ammonium, and nitrate in the crop system, within 0.5 m soil depth. Carbon content in the substrate and microbial biomass within 0.1 m soil depth were favoured by Congo signal grass and related to higher emissions of N2O-N, regardless of N fertilization. Emission factors (N losses from the applied mineral nitrogen) for N2O-N (0.01-0.02%) and NH3-N (0.3-0.6%) were lower than the default value recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Mulch of Congo signal grass benefits N2O-N emission regardless of N fertilization.
  • Authors:
    • Feigl, B. J.
    • Cerri, C. C.
    • Pellegrino Cerri, C. E.
    • Nunes Carvalho, J. L.
    • de Oliveira, B. G.
  • Source: Geoderma
  • Volume: 200
  • Issue: June
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: Sugarcane ethanol is the main liquid biofuel used in Brazil as a substitute for fossil fuels for the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, ethanol production also produces GHG emissions during the agricultural phase through the disposal of its residues. Vinasse, as the main residue from ethanol production, may contribute to GHG emission during its storage, transportation and application to soil as ferti-irrigation. The objective of this study was to quantify the fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O resulting from vinasse application in sugarcane fields under different straw managements and to determine the N2O emission factor derived from this practice. This study was performed at the Boa Vista Farm, in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The application of 200 m(3) ha(-1) of vinasse tripled the CO2 emissions in areas with burnt or unburnt harvest systems. The consumption of CH4 was observed, supporting the hypothesis that this usually applied amount of vinasse to the soil does not necessarily result in CH4 emissions. The 46 kg of N contained in this dose of vinasse increased the release of N2O by the soil and resulted in emission factors of 0.68% and 0.44% for the burnt and unburnt areas, respectively. The fluxes of N2O and CH4, converted into CO2 eq, indicate that each m(3) ha(-1) of vinasse applied to the soil emits 0.491 and 0314 kg of CO2 eq. in the burnt and unburnt sugarcane areas, respectively. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Cantarella, H.
    • Rossetto, R.
    • Gava, G. J. C.
    • Andrade, C. A.
    • Vargas, V. P.
    • Duarte-Neto, P. J.
    • Pitombo, L. M.
    • de Sousa Neto, E. R.
    • Zotelli, L. C.
    • Filoso, S.
    • do Carmo, J. B.
    • Neto, A. E.
    • Martinelli, L. A.
  • Source: GCB Bioenergy
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: Bioethanol from sugarcane is becoming an increasingly important alternative energy source worldwide as it is considered to be both economically and environmentally sustainable. Besides being produced from a tropical perennial grass with high photosynthetic efficiency, sugarcane ethanol is commonly associated with low N fertilizer use because sugarcane from Brazil, the world's largest sugarcane producer, has a low N demand. In recent years, several models have predicted that the use of sugarcane ethanol in replacement to fossil fuel could lead to high greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings. However, empirical data that can be used to validate model predictions and estimates from indirect methodologies are scarce, especially with regard to emissions associated with different fertilization methods and agricultural management practices commonly used in sugarcane agriculture in Brazil. In this study, we provide in situ data on emissions of three GHG (CO2, N2O, and CH4) from sugarcane soils in Brazil and assess how they vary with fertilization methods and management practices. We measured emissions during the two main phases of the sugarcane crop cycle (plant and ratoon cane), which include different fertilization methods and field conditions. Our results show that N2O and CO2 emissions in plant cane varied significantly depending on the fertilization method and that waste products from ethanol production used as organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizer, as it is the common practice in Brazil, increase emission rates significantly. Cumulatively, the highest emissions were observed for ratoon cane treated with vinasse (liquid waste from ethanol production) especially as the amount of crop trash on the soil surface increased. Emissions of CO2 and N2O were 6.9kgha1yr1 and 7.5kgha1yr1, respectively, totaling about 3000kg in CO2 equivalent ha1yr1.
  • Authors:
    • Carneiro, M. A. C.
    • Resck, D. V. S.
    • Figueiredo, C. C.
    • Ramos, M. L. G.
    • Sa, J. C. M.
  • Source: Soil research
  • Volume: 51
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: Enhancement of organic matter plays an essential role in improving soil quality for supporting sustainable food production. Changes in carbon stocks with impacts on emissions of greenhouse gases may result from the stratification of organic matter as a result of soil use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of soil management systems on soil carbon stocks and stratification ratios (SR) of soil organic matter pools. Total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen, basal respiration, and particulate organic matter nitrogen (PON) were determined. The field experiment comprised several tillage treatments: conventional tillage, no-till with biannual rotation, no-till with biannual rotation combined with a second crop, no-till with annual rotation, and pasture. The labile fractions indicated a high level of variation among management systems. Pasture proved to be an excellent option for the improvement of soil carbon. While the conventional tillage system reduced total carbon stocks of the soil (0-40 cm), no-tillage presented TOC stocks similar to that of native vegetation. Sensitivity of the TOC SR varied from 0.93 to 1.28, a range of 0.35; the range for POC was 1.76 and for MBC 1.64. The results support the hypothesis that the labile fractions (POC, MBC, and PON) are highly sensitive to the dynamics of organic matter in highly weathered soils of tropical regions influenced by different management systems. Reductions to SRs of labile organic matter pools are related to the impacts of agricultural use of Cerrado soils.
  • Authors:
    • Cerri, C. E. P.
    • Soares-Filho, B.
    • Galford, G. L.
  • Source: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences
  • Volume: 368
  • Issue: 1619
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The Brazilian Amazon frontier shows how remarkable leadership can work towards increased agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability without new greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to initiatives among various stakeholders, including national and state government and agents, farmers, consumers, funding agencies and non-governmental organizations. Change has come both from bottom-up and top-down actions of these stakeholders, providing leadership, financing and monitoring to foster environmental sustainability and agricultural growth. Goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land-cover and land-use change in Brazil are being achieved through a multi-tiered approach that includes policies to reduce deforestation and initiatives for forest restoration, as well as increased and diversified agricultural production, intensified ranching and innovations in agricultural management. Here, we address opportunities for the Brazilian Amazon in working towards low-carbon rural development and environmentally sustainable landscapes.
  • Authors:
    • Gurgel, A. C.
    • Nardy, V.
  • Source: Nova Economia
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: This paper investigates the potential impacts from a cut in the U.S. trade tariffs to the Brazilian ethanol on land use and greenhouse gas emissions from such changes. A version of the GTAP global economic model is used to simulate how an increase in the Brazilian ethanol production could affect land use and CO 2 emissions in the country and worldwide. The results indicate an increases in cropland areas and decrease in pastureland and forest areas, with small increments in CO 2 emissions, which are offset by lower emissions from reduced consumption of fossil fuels. It can be concluded that the potential of sugarcane ethanol in reducing net greenhouse gas emissions is not affected by the trade liberalization, even when changes in land use are considered.
  • Authors:
    • La Scala, N.,Jr.
    • Panosso, A. R.
    • Padovan, M. P.
    • Moitinho, M. R.
  • Source: REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIA DO SOLO
  • Volume: 37
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The soil is one of the main C pools in terrestrial ecosystem, capable of storing significant C amounts. Therefore, understanding the factors that contribute to the loss of CO2 from agricultural soils is critical to determine strategies reducing emissions of this gas and help mitigate the greenhouse effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil tillage and sugarcane trash on CO2 emissions, temperature and soil moisture during sugarcane (re) planting, over a study period of 15 days. The following managements were evaluated: no-tillage with crop residues left on the soil surface (NTR); without tillage and without residue (NTNR) and tillage with no residue (TNR). The average soil CO2 emission (FCO2) was lowest in NTR (2.16 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)), compared to the managements NTNR (2.90 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)) and TNR (3.22 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)), indicating that the higher moisture and lower soil temperature variations observed in NTR were responsible for this decrease. During the study period, the lowest daily average FCO2 was recorded in NTR (1.28 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)), and the highest in TNR (6.08 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)), after rainfall. A loss of soil CO2 was lowest from the management NTR (367 kg ha(-1) of CO2-C) and differing significantly (p<0.05) from the managements NTNR (502 kg ha(-1) of CO2-C) and TNR (535 kg ha(-1) of CO2-C). Soil moisture was the variable that differed most managements and was positively correlated (r = 0.55, p<0.05) with the temporal variations of CO2 emission from NTR and TNR. In addition, the soil temperature differed (p<0.05) only in management NTR (24 degrees C) compared to NTNR (26 degrees C) and TNR (26.5 degrees C), suggesting that under the conditions of this study, sugarcane trash left on the surface induced an average rise in the of soil temperature of 2 degrees C.