biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad

This briefing examines the balance between using agricultural land for biofuel production and maintaining soil organic carbon. It highlights that while biofuels can substitute fossil fuels, the carbon lost from soil during land conversion or residue removal can offset these gains. Specifically, it cites research indicating that land set-asides for carbon sequestration can be more effective for climate mitigation than corn-ethanol production over a 40-year period, and notes that tropical soils are especially vulnerable to carbon loss.

• Biofuel production aims to substitute fossil carbon with biologically fixed carbon to create a "carbon-neutral" energy source. Common sources include sugar cane for ethanol, maize grain for fuel alcohol, and oil plants like rape seed, soy bean, or oil palm for diesel substitutes. The document notes that using vegetative tissues is more efficient for carbon production than using seeds, as seeds require 2-3 times more nitrogen and phosphorus per unit of carbon, necessitating higher fertilizer use unless the remaining proteins are used for feed.
• There is a critical tension between harvesting carbon for energy and maintaining soil organic matter, which is essential for infiltration, erosion control, and nutrient availability. A review by Piñeiro et al. (2009) found that soil organic carbon accumulation on reserve land averaged near 0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 over 15 years, totaling over 10 Mg ha-1. In contrast, an average US maize crop yields approximately 1.5 Mg of ethanol-carbon. The study concluded that for the first 15 years of biofuel production on former native or conservation reserve land, there is no reduction in net carbon emission, and that setting aside former agricultural land for soil C sequestration provided greater C credits than planting corn for ethanol over 40 years.
• Cellulosic ethanol produced from grasslands may offer higher net carbon dioxide savings because it avoids tillage-induced soil carbon losses. While maize stover is a viable renewable carbon source—producing 1.7 times more carbon than other common grains—the removal of crop residues must be balanced against the risk of soil erosion and the need to maintain soil organic matter. These concerns are particularly acute for tropical soils, which have a lower ability to stabilize soil carbon and are more dependent on the conservative management of residues.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2024). biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad. https://iai.int/es/biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad. 2024. https://iai.int/es/biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad |date=8 October 2024 |url=https://iai.int/es/biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2024biocombustiblesbalancedecarbonoenelsueloysustentabilidad, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://iai.int/es/biocombustibles-balance-de-carbono-en-el-suelo-y-sustentabilidad/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }