Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for mapping soil carbon stock in the Gilbués desertification region at Brazilian cerrado

Abstract

The carbon stock (C Stock) is a key soil attribute, especially in areas under degradation. The objective of this study was to map the C Stock and other physical and chemical attributes on the soil surface of a micro-watershed located in the Gilbués Desertification Nucleus and to calibrate pedometric functions to map them, applying spectra obtained by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) in the near-infrared (NIR) region. This study was developed in the Piripiri Stream Micro-watershed (PSMW), which presents different levels of degradation. A total of 214 composite soil samples were collected from the 0–0.10 m depth layer. Spectral and laboratory analyses were performed following traditional methods. The results from 100 samples were subjected to descriptive analysis, pedometric modeling, and geostatistics, while the remainder were used exclusively for the prediction and modeling of the predicted attribute maps. C Stock ranged from 0.3 to 11%, with the highest values associated with the least sandy sites. We assert that stakeholders, including government agencies, could utilize DRS for mapping main soil attributes, such as C Stocks, soil granulometry, or total organic carbon, in regions characterized by similar parent material and soil properties. This application can support informed decision-making regarding land management in extensive areas facing soil threats.