Agronomy and Horticulture Department
ORCID IDs
Fabio R. Marin http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1265-9032
Alencar J. Zanon http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7194-9833
Juan P. Monzon http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6992-1842
José F. Andrade http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8635-7320
Gean L. Richter http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2498-2227
Luis A. S. Antolin http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3530-3760
Giovana G. Ribas http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5546-1291
Rafael Battisti http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5768-4501
Alexandre B. Heinemann http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7037-488X
Patricio Grassini http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7501-842X
Date of this Version
4-28-2022
Citation
Published at Research Square April 28, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1581982/v1
Published in Nature Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00968-8
Abstract
The Amazon basin includes 550 M ha covered with rainforests, with 60% of this area being in Brazil. Conversion of rainforest for soybean production raises concerns about the degree to which Brazil can reconcile production and environmental goals. Here we investigated the degree to which intensification could help Brazil produce more soybean without further encroachment of the Amazon Forest. Our analysis shows that continuation of current trends in soybean yield and area would lead to conversion of additional 5.7 M ha of forests and savannas during the next 15 years, with an associated 2550 Mt of CO2eq released into the atmosphere. In contrast, acceleration of yield improvement, coupled with expansion of soybean area only in areas currently used for livestock production, would allow Brazil to achieve similar economic benefits without deforestation and with substantially lower global climate warming.
Marin NS 2022 Reporting summary.pdf (1154 kB)
Marin NS 2022 Source data Fig 1.xlsx (10 kB)
Marin NS 2022 Source data Fig 3.xlsx (9 kB)
Marin NS 2022 Source data Fig 4.xlsx (9 kB)
Marin NS 2022 Source data Extended Fig 1.xlsx (9 kB)
Marin NS 2022 Source data Extended Fig 3.xlsx (16 kB)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Botany Commons, Horticulture Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons
Comments
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Version of Record: A version of this preprint was published at Nature Sustainability on October 10th, 2022. See the published version at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00968-8.