Land use change, biofuels and impacts on soil carbon dynamics in the La Plata Basin

The report examines how the expansion of commodities, forestry, and biofuels—particularly sugarcane—affects soil carbon stocks in the La Plata Basin. It highlights that converting native vegetation to agriculture generally reduces carbon stocks, though no-tillage systems can mitigate these losses. Case studies in the Brazilian Cerrado demonstrate that pre-harvest burning of sugarcane and the removal of crop residues negatively impact soil bacterial communities and mycorrhizal associations, respectively.

• Agricultural expansion in the La Plata Basin has been driven by four main sectors over the last 30 years: international commodities (soybeans, corn, sunflower, wheat), forestry (eucalypt and pine), meat (cattle), and agro-energy (sugarcane).
• The conversion of native vegetation to agricultural systems in the Cerrado typically leads to significant reductions in soil carbon stocks, particularly when conventional tillage is used. For example, 30 years of agricultural cropping in Cerrado stricto sensu vegetation reduced carbon stocks from 99 Mg ha-1 to 69 Mg ha-1.
• No-tillage systems are identified as an effective management practice for accumulating and stabilizing soil organic matter and carbon stocks compared to conventional tillage.
• The expansion of sugarcane for bioethanol in the Cerrado is driven by global biomass demand and Brazilian national policies, with significant growth in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás.
• Pre-harvest burning of sugarcane fields causes higher soil carbon stock losses and negatively alters soil bacterial community structures and fertility compared to mechanical 'green' cane harvesting.
• Removing sugarcane crop residues (straw) from the soil surface reduces the stability of arbuscular mycorrhizal associations, which may impair soil aggregation, water retention, and carbon stabilization.
• Afforestation with Eucalyptus in the Cerrado often results in low re-establishment of soil carbon stocks due to slow leaf decomposition and the removal of original vegetation; however, consortia with legume trees can enhance soil fertility and carbon levels.

APA

Coutinho, H. L. C., & Balieiro, F. (n.d.). Land use change, biofuels and impacts on soil carbon dynamics in the La Plata Basin. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/Final_report_IDRC_Coutinho.pdf

Chicago

Coutinho, Heitor L. C., and Fabiano Balieiro. Land use change, biofuels and impacts on soil carbon dynamics in the La Plata Basin. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, n.d. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/Final_report_IDRC_Coutinho.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Coutinho |first1=Heitor L. C. |last2=Balieiro |first2=Fabiano |title=Land use change, biofuels and impacts on soil carbon dynamics in the La Plata Basin |publisher=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |url=https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/Final_report_IDRC_Coutinho.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{coutinhondland, author = {Coutinho, Heitor L. C. and Balieiro, Fabiano}, title = {{Land use change, biofuels and impacts on soil carbon dynamics in the La Plata Basin}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, url = {https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/Final_report_IDRC_Coutinho.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }