Influência da declividade, idade de plantio e material genético no estoque de biomassa e carbono em povoamentos de eucalipto em Alagoas

Abstract

The increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere has intensified the search for strategies capable of reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change, highlighting, in this context, the role of forests as an important ally in carbon capture, whether native or planted forests. Thus, the present study aimed to estimate the carbon stock in commercial stands of Eucalyptus spp., located in the municipality of Atalaia, state of Alagoas, as well as to evaluate the potential of these plantations for carbon sequestration and their applications in the forestry sector. To obtain the data, a forest inventory was carried out with plots of 420 m2, where dendrometric variables were measured, such as diameter at breast height and total height. The rigorous scaling of the trees was conducted using the Smalian method, enabling an accurate estimation of stem volume. Dry biomass was determined from wet mass and moisture content of the samples, while wood basic density was obtained according to technical standards of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards. The total organic carbon content was determined through the wet oxidation method proposed by Bezerra Neto and Barreto (2011), allowing the quantification of carbon mass per tree and total stock per hectare. The results showed that Eucalyptus spp. stands present a high potential for biomass production and carbon accumulation, with variations associated with the dendrometric characteristics of the trees and site conditions. It was observed that the increase in diameter and height of the trees directly resulted in higher biomass and carbon stocks per individual and per hectare. In addition, the obtained values indicate that the evaluated plantations have a relevant carbon sequestration capacity, reinforcing their role as a sustainable alternative in mitigating climate change. Thus, the data confirm the feasibility of using planted forests as important carbon sinks and as a value generation strategy in the forestry sector. The highest capacity for biomass and carbon accumulation was verified in older stands (2019 planting), using the CO 1407 clone, on slope areas, indicating that this genetic material presents greater adaptability and performance even under more adverse conditions.