ASSESSING BRAZIL CARBON BUDGET .1. BIOTIC CARBON POOLS

Brazil contains the world's largest expanse of tropical forest, but its forests are experiencing high levels of conversion to other uses. There is concern that releases of CO2 and other greenhouse gases resulting from deforestation will contribute to global climate change, The total amount of C that could be released by deforestation depends upon the amount currently contained in the terrestrial biota and soils. Knowledge of the areas of Brazil's major ecosystems and land use types and their C densities was used to estimate the total amount of C stored in vegetation, litter and coarse woody debris, and soils, The total estimated C pools were (58-81) X 10(9) Mg C in vegetation, (6-9) X 10(9) Mg C in litter and coarse woody debris, and about 72 X 10(9) Mg C in soil. Over 80% of the vegetation pool was contained in the closed tropical moist forests of Brazil.