EDAFOLOGIA, Vol. 11(2), pp. 171-196, 2004
PAUTAS PARA INDUCIR UNA ACUMULACIÓN ADICIONAL DE CARBONO ORGÁNICO EN BIOMASA FORESTAL Y EN SUELOS AGRÍCOLAS, PASCÍCOLAS Y FORESTALES EN LA COMUNIDAD AUTÓNOMA DEL PAÍS VASCO
M. CAMPS ARBESTAIN, I. MARTÍNEZ DE ARANO, S. MENDARTE, A. AIZPURUA, M. PINTO
NEIKER-Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, Berreaga 1, 48160-Derio
Soil organic matter represents the most stable C stock of the terrestrial ecosystems, with a residence time greater than that of the C present in the biomass, although C accumulation in the latter also plays an important role given its fast accumulation rate and the possibility of increasing its residence time by the promotion of quality wood products. The human activities can induce the occurrence of important changes in the functioning of the agricultural, grasslands and forest systems either as a C sink or as a C source. In this work, we pretend to analyse the different management techniques able to induce an additional C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems of the Basque Country (CAPV) in a sustainable manner, either through the protection of those ecosystems that naturally store C (p.e. peatlands) or by the manipulation of those systems able to sequester C beyond the present conditions (p.e. through the addition of exogenous organic matter), within other management techniques. In any case, it should be noted that the chances of C sequestration in soil and biomass are finite (with the exception of the use of biomass for energy as substitute of non renewable fossil fuels). In spite of this, the establishment of management practices that induce increases in the C stocks represents other beneficial effects (win-win effect) from the environmental point of view, such a sustainable agricultural, grassland and forest management, with the concomitant improvement of the quality of waters and soils and, in general, that of the natural environment.