Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America

Discover the latest available knowledge on ways to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere!

The problem of quickly mounting CO2 emissions in the fast-developing Latin American region was addressed in a symposium held in Piracicaba, Brazil, in June 2004. Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America presents the latest available knowledge in soil C sequestration and improved land and soil management which can also lead to other positive effects, such as greater fertility of soil and higher crop yields. This text, in easy-to-understand language, comprehensively reviews ways to best transform various soils from being a source of carbon released into the atmosphere to become a sink for carbon absorption.

Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America presents a full-rounded explanation of this information in four sections. The first section gives detailed background information about the region, its climate, and the differing soils, along with basic concepts behind the science. The second section describes recommended management practices and rates of soil C sequestration. The third section thoroughly deals with methods of assessment of soil C. The last section provides a summary of recommendations for further research and development. The book is extensively referenced and contains numerous figures, tables, and photographs.

Topics in Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America include:

• soil eco-regions and principal biomes of Latin America
  
• soil carbon stock in principal ecosystems of Latin America
  
• rates of carbon sequestration in different eco-regions for predominant land use and management
  
• the role of the Amazon region in mitigating climate change
  
• the importance of tropical savannas of Latin America in mitigating global warming
  
• innovative methods of assessment of soil carbon pool
  
• trading carbon credits
  
• designing pilot soil carbon sequestration projects
  
• potential of soil carbon sequestration in Latin America
  
• priorities and recommendations for future research
  
  

Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America is a comprehensive, essential resource for land managers, policymakers, educators, students, and researchers.

Rattan Lal, PhD, is a professor of soil physics in the School of Natural Resources and director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, FAES/OARDC at Ohio State University.Carlos C. Cerri, PhD, is a professor at the Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura of the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, where he teaches graduate students and performs research on soil carbon sequestration and trace gas mitigation on tropical conditions. Martial Bernoux, PhD, is research soil scientist at the French Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) since 1999, now member of research unit “Soil carbon sequestration and soil bio-functioning.” Jorge Etchevers, PhD, is a professor of soil science at the Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico, and a permanent visiting professor of the Universidad of Concepción, Chile. Eduardo Cerri, PhD, is a post-doc at the Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA-USP), Brazil. In 2003 he received his PhD in soil science from the University of Sao Paulo.