Studies Related to Organic Carbon Stock in the Brazilian Cerrado: What have we Learned So Far?

Abstract

Studies related to the impact of the climate changes in plants have increased in recent decades, especially those related to carbon flux in different ecosystems. Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) is the second largest biome in the country, and supports different types of vegetation such as fields, savannas and forests. The exclusive phytophysiognomies of this biome comprise of a forest (Woodland Cerrado), savannas (Typical, Dense, Sparse and Rupestrian), and fields (Dirty, Clean, Moist and Rupestrian) and also the Swampy Plains (Veredas), which provide ecosystems able to sink/stock/source different amounts of carbon. Looking forward to providing strategies to subsidize the conservation and management of the Brazilian Cerrado, we searched and synthetized the information on carbon storage in its different phytophysiognomies. Even though several data on carbon storage have been generated, the quantitative and estimated values differ in different aspects. We found substantial data to the managed ecosystems located in the savanna phytophysiognomies, contrastingly, there is a lack of information about the undisturbed and native areas. We herein suggest methods to be applied in future complementary studies on carbon storage of the already studied areas, and also of the undisturbed, but threatened native phytophysiognomies of the Brazilian Cerrado.