Title
Carbon Sequestration in Fine Aroma Cocoa Agroforestry Systems in Amazonas, Peru
Date Issued
01 August 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Goñas M.
Culqui-Gaslac C.
Arce-Inga M.
Marlo G.
Pariente-Mondragón E.
Oliva-Cruz M.
Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas
Publisher(s)
MDPI
Abstract
One way to mitigate climate change is by reducing atmospheric CO2 levels with the establishment of agroforestry systems (AFSs) that can capture and store atmospheric CO2. This study therefore estimated the carbon sequestration in two components, aboveground (cocoa trees, other tree species, and leaf litter) and soil, in 15 fine aroma cocoa AFSs in Amazonas, Peru. These cocoa AFSs had a minimum area of 1.5 ha and were distributed into three age groups (each group consisted of five systems or farms): young cocoa trees between 8 and 15 years old, middle-aged cocoa trees between 16 and 29 years old, and adult cocoa trees between 30 and more than 40 years old. Generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis followed by Fisher’s LSD mean comparison test (p > 0.05) determined the significant level of total aboveground biomass and total carbon content in the AFSs’ components. The present findings confirm that Theobroma cacao, Mussa sp., Cordia sp., and Persea sp. were the most common species in all AFSs. Clearly, biomass and carbon content in Theobroma cacao and Cordia sp. increased slightly with age, while fruit species Mussa sp. and Persea sp. decreased with age. The total aboveground carbon stock in young cocoa tree systems (13.64 Mg ha−1) was lower than in middle-aged cocoa systems (20.50 Mg ha−1) and adult cocoa systems (24.86 Mg ha−1); nevertheless, no significant differences were found for any of the age ranges. On the other hand, carbon stocks in soil (up to 30 cm depth) in the AFSs ranged from 119.96 Mg ha−1 to 131.96 Mg ha−1. Meanwhile, the total carbon stored by aboveground and soil components in adults cocoa systems (156.81 Mg ha−1) was higher compared to middle-aged cocoa systems (140.60 Mg ha−1) and young cocoa systems (133.59 Mg ha−1), although no statistically significant differences were found. Eventually, the CO2 sequestration for young cocoa systems was 490.28 Mg ha−1, and middle-aged and adult cocoa system recorded more than 500 Mg ha−1 of CO2. Furthermore, these data can further be used by national governments, local governments, and organisations of producers, particularly in accessing payments for environmental services, which may improve economic incomes and contribute to climate change mitigation by reserving biomass and sequestering C from these agroforestry cocoa systems.
Volume
14
Issue
15
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencias de las plantas, Botánica Investigación climática
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85136929941
Source
Sustainability (Switzerland)
ISSN of the container
20711050
Sponsor(s)
The authors thank the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico, Tecnológico y de Innovación Tecnológica (FONDECYT) for funding this research through the Contract N° 026-2016 of the “Círculo de Investigación para la Innovación y el fortalecimiento de la cadena de valor del cacao nativo fino de aroma en la zona nor oriental del Perú-CINCACAO” project, executed by the Instituto de Investigación para el Desarrollo Sustentable de Ceja de Selva (INDES–CES) de la Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus