Soil Carbon Stocks under Productive and Degraded Brachiaria Pastures in the Brazilian Cerrado

Soil carbon stocks under productive Brachiaria pastures in the Brazilian Cerrado are significantly higher than those under native vegetation, with differences ranging from 6 to 47 Mg C ha⁻¹ depending on soil clay content. This study compared soil carbon stocks across four sites using chronosequences, evaluating pasture productivity through forage regrowth, litter, and light fraction of soil organic matter (SOM). Soil 13C abundance and C:N ratios indicated that SOM derived from native vegetation persisted at low rates, while degraded pastures showed intermediate or similar carbon stocks to native vegetation. The findings highlight the impact of pasture establishment on soil carbon dynamics, with clay content playing a crucial role in carbon storage.

Braz, S. P., Urquiaga, S., Alves, B. J. R., Jantalia, C. P., Guimarães, A. Paula., dos Santos, C. A., dos Santos, S. C., Machado Pinheiro, É. F., & Boddey, R. M. (2013). Soil Carbon Stocks under Productive and Degraded Brachiaria Pastures in the Brazilian Cerrado. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 77(3), 914–928. Portico. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2012.0269