SOIL CARBON STOCK IN THE HIGH-MOUNTAIN FOREST TRANSITION ZONE – HIGH-ALTITUDE GRASSLANDS OF THE SERRA DA MANTIQUEIRA – ITAMONTE (MG)

Abstract

The concern over carbon emissions associated with soil changes has driven studies on this subject, especially in tropical regions, which account for 12% to 20% of global organic carbon emissions to the atmosphere. This study has quantified soil organic matter and estimated the carbon stock (CS) in “Fazenda do Pinhão Assado”, an Atlantic Forest area in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Twenty-one soil samples were collected in August 2023 at altitudes ranging from 1,400 to 2,400 meters. Soil bulk density (BD) ranged from 0.41 g cm⁻³ to 0.99 g cm⁻³, while the highest carbon stocks were recorded at points 07, 08, and 15, with 1,729, 1,402, and 1,328 Mg C ha⁻¹, respectively. The average CS was 673 Mg C ha⁻¹, with an estimated total of 686,042 Mg C stored in the farm’s soils. A correlation was observed between altitude and higher concentrations of organic carbon and organic matter in the A horizons, highlight the role of environmental conditions in carbon accumulation in tropical soils. These findings emphasizing the importance of soil conservation as a strategy for mitigating carbon emissions.