Carbon stock in silvopastoral systems: A study in the Middle Sinu, Colombia

Introduction. Silvopastoral systems play an important role in livestock production, provide benefits to the animal and edaphic components, and offer environmental services such as atmospheric carbon sequestration in the soil and biomass. Objective. To evaluate the capacity of atmospheric carbon sequestration in three systems of different complexities focused on livestock production, in northern Colombia. Materials and methods. The study was carried out at the Turipana Research Center of the Corporacion Colombiana de Investigacion Agropecuaria between 2019 and 2021. The dasometric parameters of the tree/shrub component were evaluated. The aboveground (CBA) and belowground (CBR) biomass of these species were estimated with allometric models. The fallen litter biomass (CLIT) and soil organic carbon up to 30 cm, with readings every 10 cm, were quantified by the combustion method and total accumulated carbon. The design corresponded to complete randomized blocks, with three treatments and four repetitions. The treatments corresponded to two silvopastoral systems (SSP) of different complexity and a grass without trees (Pr). Results. Aerial biomass was higher in the SSP (2.18 +/- 1.13, 4.51 +/- 3.76 t ha-1 C) than in Pr (0.19 +/- 0.09 t ha-1 C). The highest accumulation of CBR (1.16 +/- 3.76 t ha-1 C) and CLIT (3.09 +/- 2.45 t ha-1 C) occurred in SSP2. The soil organic carbon accumulated (COS) values showed higher accumulation in the first stratum. The COS represented in the three systems more than 70 % of the total contribution in accumulated carbon contribution. Conclusion. Under the environmental conditions of the humid tropical dry forest, silvopastoral systems increased the stock of atmospheric carbon in the soil and biomass. The use of SSP is a strategy in the mitigation of greenhouse gases in the livestock production system.