Carbon Storage Potential of Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia

Abstract

Nine Latin American countries plan to use silvopastoral practices—incorporating trees into grazing lands—to mitigate climate change. However, the cumulative potential of scaling up silvopastoral systems at national levels is not well quantified. Here, we combined previously published tree cover data based on 250 m resolution MODIS satellite remote sensing imagery for 2000–2017 with ecofloristic zone carbon stock estimates to calculate historical and potential future tree biomass carbon storage in Colombian grasslands. Between 2000 and 2017, tree cover across all Colombian grasslands increased from 15% to 18%, with total biomass carbon (TBC) stocks increasing from 0.41 to 0.48 Pg. The range in 2017 carbon stock values in grasslands based on ecofloristic zones (5 to 122 Mg ha−1) suggests a potential for further increase. Increasing all carbon stocks to the current median and 75th percentile levels for the respective eco-floristic zone would increase TBC stocks by about 0.06 and 0.15 Pg, respectively. Incorporated into national C accounting, such Tier 2 estimates can set realistic targets for silvopastoral systems in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) implementation plans in Colombia and other Latin American countries with similar contexts.

Nutritional Evaluation of Tropical Forage Grass Alone and Grass-Legume Diets to Reduce in vitro Methane Production

“…Vazquez et al (2020) showed how combining the three types of forages tested here clearly improved chemical, physical and biological soil health characteristics. In addition, the use of shrubs and trees in silvopastoral systems have shown the capacity to sequester greater amounts of carbon at a system level (Aynekulu et al, 2020).…”

“…In these systems, forage grasses and legumes are combined toward a process of sustainable intensification of livestock production, aiming at not only improving available feed for ruminants but also to restore degraded lands and increase system resilience to more frequent droughts and floods that are associated with climate change (Rao et al, 2015;Ku-Vera et al, 2020a). Furthermore, if properly managed, grass-legume tropical pastures can potentially accumulate large amounts of soil organic carbon; improve chemical, physical, and biological soil health characteristics; fix atmospheric nitrogen; inhibit soil nitrification; improve animal productivity and animal welfare; and reduce CH 4 emissions per unit of livestock product (Peters et al, 2012;Rao et al, 2015;Aynekulu et al, 2020;Ku-Vera et al, 2020a;Vazquez et al, 2020).…”

A Discounted Cash Flow and Capital Budgeting Analysis of Silvopastoral Systems in the Amazonas Region of Peru

“…Expanding forest cover remains a global priority to combating trends in deforestation and global climate change. Countries in Latin America, where the livestock sector generates 58-70% of overall agricultural emissions, are particularly interested in mitigating climate change through integrating forest cover into agricultural production systems [1]. Agroforestry operations combine forest or horticultural species and pasture or cropland to make mixed land-use systems that produce commercial benefits to landowners [2].…”

“…Peru also committed to restore 3.2 million hectares as part of the Bonn Challenge's mission to restore 150 million hectares of the world's degraded and deforested lands by 2020 [10]. Silvopasture is one strategy aimed at increasing forest cover in agricultural systems, augmenting a region's carbon sequestration potential, especially in deforested and degraded ecosystems [1].…”

Agroforestry-Based Ecosystem Services

“…Nine Latin American countries plan to use silvopastoral practices-incorporating trees into grazing lands-to mitigate climate change, but the cumulative potential of scaling up silvopastoral systems at national levels is not well quantified [15]. The range, 5 to 122 Mg ha −1 , of carbon stock values in Colombian grasslands in 2017 based on ecofloristic zones, suggests a potential for further increase.…”