As the global demand for energy increases, the people of the United States are increasingly subject to high and ever-rising oil prices. Additionally, the U.S. transportation sector accounts for 27% of total nationwide Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. In the U.S. transportation sector, light-duty passenger vehicles account for about 58% of energy use. Therefore incremental improvements in light-duty vehicle efficiency and energy use will significantly impact the overall landscape of energy use in America. A crucial step to designing and building more efficient vehicles is modeling powertrain energy consumption. While accurate modeling is indeed key to effective and efficient design, a fundamental understanding of the powertrain and auxiliary systems that contribute to energy consumption for a vehicle is equally as important if not more important. This thesis presents a methodology that has been packaged into a tool, called VTool, that can be used to estimate the energy consumption of a vehicle powertrain. The method is intrinsically designed to foster understanding of the vehicle powertrain as it relates to energy consumption while still providing reasonably accurate results. VTool explicitly calculates the energy required at the wheels of the vehicle to complete a prescribed drive cycle and then explicitly applies component efficiencies to find component losses and the overall energy consumption for the drive cycle. In calculating component efficiencies and losses, VTool offers several tunable parameters that can be used to calibrate the tool for a particular vehicle, compare powertrain architectures, or simply explore the tradeoffs and sensitivities of certain parameters. In this paper, the method is fully and explicitly developed to model Electric Vehicles (EVs), Series Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Parallel HEVs for various different drive cycles. VTool has also been validated for use in UDDS and HwFET cycles using on-road test results from the 2011 EcoCAR competition. By extension, the method could easily be extended for use in other cycles. The end result is a tool that can predict fuel consumption to a reasonable degree of accuracy for a variety of powertrains, calculate J1711 Utility Factor weighted energy consumption for Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) and determine the Well-to-Wheel impact of a given powertrain or fuel. VTool does all of this while performing all calculations explicitly and calculating all component losses to allow the user maximum access which promotes understanding and comprehension of the fundamental dynamics of automotive fuel economy and the powertrain as a system. / Master of Science

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are devastating disasters, yet predicting their future activity remains highly uncertain. To better understand the impacts of different anthropogenic forcings, specifically greenhouse gases (GHG) and aerosols on the TCs, I downscaled the single forcing experiments of 11 CMIP6 models in the Columbia HAZard Model (CHAZ). This analysis focused on changes in the distribution of the North Atlantic (ATL) and Western North Pacific (WNP) basins and explored the shift in environmental variables that drive them. We then used the formulation of the genesis component of CHAZ as a constraint to quantify the relative contribution of each predictor relative to each forcing. TC frequency has increased in the WNP and decreased in the ATL. GHGs have increased TC activity in the WNP but reduced it in the ATL, specifically, Gulf of Mexico, whereas aerosols showed the opposite effect, with potential intensity emerging as a key factor in these changes.

24 % of the Northern Hemisphere’s landmass is underlain by permafrost. 1 700 billion tonnes of organic carbon (C) is stored in the permafrost, and the ongoing climate change lead to permafrost thawing and carbon release. This study examines the extent of thawing permafrost and the estimated carbon emissions as a consequence of permafrost thawing. The results show an estimated decrease of near-surface permafrost up to 81% before 2100 due to an increase of the average global temperature. Thawing permafrost releases CO2 and CH4 to the atmosphere, which amplifies the greenhouse effect and creates a positive feedback to global warming. The magnitude of the positive feedback is uncertain but an average of 178 Pg C is expected to release to the atmosphere by 2100 if the anthropogenic emissions continues. A potential increase in biomass due to favorable growing conditions is not expected to offset the carbon emissions.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Ronaldo Maghirang / Emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), including nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), from open beef cattle feedlots is becoming an environmental concern; however, scientific information on emissions and abatement measures for feedlots is limited. This research was conducted to quantify GHG emissions from feedlots and evaluate abatement measures for mitigating emissions. Specific objectives were to: (1) measure N2O emissions from the pens in a commercial cattle feedlot; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of surface amendments in mitigating GHG emissions from feedlot manure; (3) evaluate the effects of water application on GHG emissions from feedlot manure; and (4) compare the photo-acoustic infrared multi-gas analyzer (PIMA) and gas chromatograph (GC) in measuring concentrations of N2O and CO2 emitted from feedlot manure. Field measurements on a commercial beef cattle feedlot using static flux chambers combined with GC indicated that N2O emission fluxes varied significantly with pen surface condition. The moist/muddy surface had the largest median emission flux; the dry and compacted, dry and loose, and flooded surfaces had significantly lower median emission fluxes. Pen surface amendments (i.e., organic residues, biochar, and activated carbon) were applied on feedlot manure samples in glass containers and evaluated for their effectiveness in mitigating GHG emissions. Emission fluxes were measured with the PIMA. For dry manure, all amendments showed significant reduction in N2O and CO2 emission fluxes compared with the control (i.e., no amendment). For moist manure, biochar significantly reduced GHG emissions at days 10 and 15 after application; the other amendments had limited effects on GHG emissions. The effect of water application on GHG emissions from feedlot manure was evaluated. Manure samples (with and without water application) were placed in glass containers and analyzed for GHG emission using a PIMA. For the dry manure, GHG emissions were negligible. Application of water on the manure samples resulted in short-term peaks of GHG emissions a few minutes after water application. Comparison of the GC and PIMA showed that they were significantly correlated but differed in measured concentrations of N2O and CO2. The PIMA showed generally lower N2O concentrations and higher CO2 concentrations than the GC.

Wetlands are globally important biogeochemical hotspots, and their roles as either significant sources of greenhouse gas or carbon sinks are strongly controlled by environmental drivers such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus availability, which can stimulate emission of three greenhouse gases: nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Mounting evidence suggests that aquatic invertebrate activity can enhance wetland greenhouse gas flux, through bioturbation and bioirrigation of surrounding sediments. However, waterbirds reduce the density of aquatic invertebrates, which could potentially reduce greenhouse gas flux. Alternatively, the nutrient contents of waterbird guano may stimulate microbial activity responsible for these gas fluxes. The research project FLAMMINGGOS (Functional Links in Avian, Microbial, Macrophyte, and INvertebrate Greenhouse Gas Output Stimulation) aims to test the relative strength of top-down and bottom-up effects of predatory waterbirds on wetland greenhouse gas fluxes. This study is a part of the FLAMMINGGOS project and studied the bottom-up stimuli effects of methane flux, through addition of waterbird guano to sediment cores sampled from three sites in Doñana, Spain. Guano did not enhance methane flux; on the contrary, the overall flux rates decreased after guano addition for one site. There was also a positive correlation between methane flux and the presence of benthic invertebrates. This suggests that the top-down gas-stimuli effects of waterbirds may be stronger than the bottom-up; benthivorous waterbirds, such as flamingos, may lessen the emissions of CH4 through predation on benthic invertebrates. Further research is however required to fully understand these interactions and gas flux stimuli effects. / FLAMMINGGOS

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo exploratório do potencial do Paraguai e da Bolívia para o desenvolvimento de uma indústria de mobilidade elétrica, avaliando a viabilidade de substituição da frota convencional de veículos leves, propulsados atualmente por motores à combustão interna (VCI), por veículos elétricos (VE) equivalentes. O estudo leva em consideração critérios econômicos, energéticos, ambientais, geopolíticos e disponibilidade de recursos naturais. Por tanto, são consideradas duas situações de substituição. No primeiro, por veículos elétricos disponíveis no mercado internacional (VE) e, alternativamente, por veículos elétricos com baterias de Li-ion, resultado da implantação e desenvolvimento de uma indústria de VE`s e outra de baterias de íons de lítio (Li-ion). Aproveitando assim, as vantagens estratégicas de recursos naturais proveniente do Salar de Uyuni Bolívia e da disponibilidade de energia elétrica no Paraguai, considerando a utilização de parte da potência da usina de Itaipu, propriedade do Paraguai e atualmente cedida a seu sócio no empreendimento, o Brasil, bem como a partir das abundantes reservas de gás natural boliviano e o potencial de ambos os países para o desenvolvimento de projetos de fontes renováveis. A indústria de baterias para os automóveis elétricos pode ser localizada na Bolívia, perto dos recursos e com grandes avanços tecnológicos e investimentos do governo na área nos últimos anos, enquanto a de VEL pode ser sediada no Paraguai que na atualidade possui um grande interesse de investidores estrangeiros. Os governos poderiam fomentar o projeto com iniciativas, como subsídios no custo da energia utilizada para o abastecimento de VE`s, ou no custo de investimento inicial do veículo. Poderia também fornecer financiamento para a aquisição de VE`s a taxas menores as do mercado. As estimativas conduzidas neste trabalho mostram que uma eventual substituição da frota de veículos leves VCI por VE no período de 10 anos, geraria benefícios econômicos cumulativos para o Paraguai de US$ 1.031 milhões e para Bolívia de US$ 1.373 milhões. Essa substituição permitiria uma redução das emissões de Gases de Efeito estufa (GEE) de 8.398 GgCO2 para o Paraguai e 9.420 7 GgCO2 para a Bolívia. Inicialmente seriam produzidos 40 mil veículos por ano em cada país para atingir a escala necessária para a redução dos custos das BIL`s. A ideia subjacente é ganhar escala local para a cadeia de produção inicial e, em seguida, acessar os mercados de América latina e o mundo. / This document presents an exploratory study of the potential of Paraguay and Bolivia for the development of an electric mobility industry, assessing the viability of replacing conventional light vehicle fleet, currently driven by internal combustion engines (ICE), for electric vehicles (EV) equivalent. The study takes into account economic, energy, environmental, geopolitical, and availability of natural resources criteria. Therefore, two replacement situations are considered. In the first, for EV`s currently available in the international market and, alternatively, for electric vehicles with Li-ion batteries, due to the implementation and development of both, an electric vehicle and a lithium-ion batteries industry. Leveraging so, the strategic advantages of natural resources from the Salar de Uyuni - Bolivia and the availability of electricity. This considering the use of part of the over-potential of the Itaipu power plant, owned by Paraguay and currently assigned to his associated in the undertaken, Brazil, and from Bolivian natural gas abundant reserves and the potential of both countries for the development of renewable projects. The battery industry for electric cars could be located in Bolivia, because of the proximity of the lithium resources and the technological breakthroughs and investments in the area of the Bolivian government in recent years, while the LEV industry could be based in Paraguay, which currently has a great appeal for foreign investors. Governments could promote the project with incentives such as subsidies in the cost of energy used to supply EV`s, or the cost of the initial investment vehicle, it also could provide funding for the acquisition of EV`s at lower rates. Estimates conducted in this study in a ten year basis show that any replacement of the ICE light vehicle fleet for EV would generate cumulative economic benefits to Paraguay for US$ 1,031 million, and for Bolivia US$ 1,373 million. This substitution would reduce Greenhouse Gases emissions (GHG) in 8,398 GgCO2 for Paraguay and 9,420 GgCO2 for Bolivia. Initially, 40,000 vehicles per year in each country would be produced to achieve the scale required for reducing BIL`s costs. The underlying idea is to make local scale for initial production chain and then access the Latin America markets and the world.

A agropecuária brasileira apresenta relevante papel sócio-econômico para o país, e constantemente busca novas tecnologias para alcançar uma agricultura sustentável. Com as mudanças que vêm ocorrendo no uso da terra, principalmente nas regiões tropical e subtropical, o Brasil vem sendo apontado como um grande emissor dos gases do efeito estufa. A conversão de florestas em sistemas agrícolas pode levar a um rápido aumento dos fluxos de CO2, CH4 e N2O no ambiente, além de potencializar o efeito estufa e ameaçar os diferentes ecossistemas. Em busca de sistemas mais conservacionistas, que possam mitigar o efeito estufa, os sistemas convencional, plantio direto, integração lavoura-pecuária e pastagem com histórico bem definido, foram selecionados nesse estudo para melhor compreensão e discernimento das possíveis mudanças oriundas dos sistemas avaliados no bioma do Cerrado. Em um segundo momento avaliamos o potencial da elevada concentração de CO2 aquecimento das parcelas em sistema sob temperature freeair controlled enhancement e carbon dioxide free-air enrichment (T-FACE) para avaliar as alterações funcionais e composição microbiana do solo. Os objetivos desse estudo foram: determinar a quantidade de células total dos genes 16S rRNA bactéria, archaea e dos genes funcionais amoA, nirS, nirK, cnorB, nosZ, presentes em diferentes sistemas de manejo do solo. Bem como, possíveis alterações na comunidade microbiana do solo sob elevada concentração de CO2 e aquecimento das parcelas. Para acessar o número de cópias dos genes foi utilizado o PCR quantitativo, a estrutura da comunidade microbiana foi determinada pela técnica de T-RFLP e a composição microbiana pelo sequenciamento de terceira geração. Os resultados dos sistemas de plantio direto e integração lavoura-pecuária revelaram importante capacidade de controlarem as emissões de N2O. Notoriamente, o número de cópias do gene nosZ teve sua densidade incrementada nos dois sistemas de plantio direto e integração lavoura-pecuária, este gene apresenta alto potencial para monitorar a desnitrificaçnao completa do N2O a N2. Adicionalmente, a elevada concentração de CO2 e elevada temperatura incrementaram o número de cópias dos genes nifH, AOB e nosZ ao longo do experimento. A análise da diversidade dos grupos taxinômicos e funcional revelou que a diversidade funcional foi alterada nas parcelas com maior emissão de N2O, apresentando maior abundância de genes (2-3 vezes) envolvidos na desnitrificação, acarretando possivelmente essas maiores emissões de N2O pela microbiota do solo. / Agriculture activities have large an important socio-economic role for a country, and are constantly searching for new technologies to achieve sustainable agriculture. Changes have occurred in land use, especially in tropical and subtropical regions and Brazil has been considered as a large emitter of greenhouse gases from agricultural systems. The conversion of forests to agricultural systems can lead to a fast increase of CO2 streams, CH4 and N2O for atmosphere, which enhances the greenhouse effect and threaten the ecosystem. In search of more conservation systems that can mitigate the greenhouse gas, the conventional, no-tillage, integrated crop-livestock and pasture systems with well defined historical management were selected in this study to better understand and decifer the possibles changes resulting in the biome Cerrado. In a second study, it was evaluated the potential of high concentration of CO2 and warming plots on system under increased temperature free-air controlled enhancement e carbon dioxide freeair enrichment (T-FACE) to assess the functional changes and microbial composition in the soil. The objectives of this study were to determine the total amount of the 16S rRNA Bacteria, Archaea and the functional genes amoA, nirS, nirK, cnorB, nosZ present under different soil management and evaluate the possible changes in the soil microbial community under high CO2 concentration and warming in the plots. To access the number of copies genes we used quantitative PCR, with the microbial community structure determined by T-RFLP and the microbial composition by Illumina next-generation sequencing. No-tillage and integrated crop-livestock revealed important capability to control N2O emissions. Notably, the high number of nosZ gene copies was found under no-tillage and integrated crop-livestock systems. This gene has a high potential to monitor the oxidation of N2O to N2. In addition, high CO2 concentration and elevated temperature increased 2-3 folds the number of copies of the nifH genes, and AOB nosZ throughout the experiment. The analysis of the diversity of functional taxonomic groups revealed that functional diversity has changed in plots with high N2O emissions, and showed a greater abundance of genes involved in denitrification, which possibly has stimulated the emissions of N2O from soil microbiota.

Pasture-based systems are important milk suppliers to dairy industry and thereby will play relevant role to support the growing demand for food. However, this additional milk supply must be obtained through higher yields resulting from intensification of existing farming systems through strategies environmentally friendly and economically profitable towards sustainable intensification. The central hypothesis of this study was that simple grazing management strategies can improve the efficiency while reduce the key environmental issues of tropical pasture-based dairy systems. Two experiments were carried out on a rainfed and non-irrigated elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. Cameroon) pasture in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The objective of the first experiment was to investigate the influence of two pre-grazing targets (95% and maximum canopy light interception during pasture regrowth; LI95% and LIMAX, respectively) on sward structure and herbage nutritive value, dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, stocking rate, enteric methane (CH4) emissions by Holstein × Jersey dairy cows, and nitrous oxide fluxes from the soil. Results indicated that pre-grazing canopy height was greater for LIMAX (≈135 cm) than LI95% (≈100 cm) and can be used as a reliable field guide for monitoring sward structure. Grazing management based on the LI95% target improved herbage nutritive value and grazing efficiency, allowing greater DMI, milk yield and stocking rate by dairy cows. Daily enteric CH4 emission was not affected; however, cows grazing elephant grass at LI95% were more efficient and emitted 21% less CH4/kg of milk yield and 18% less CH4/kg of DMI. The 51% increase in milk yield per hectare overcame the 29% increase in enteric CH4 emissions per hectare for the LI95% target. Nitrous oxide fluxes were not affected by pre-grazing targets. Overall, strategic grazing management is an environmentally friendly practice that improves the use efficiency of allocated resources through optimization of processes involving plant, ruminant and their interface, and enhances milk production efficiency of tropical pasture-based systems. Once the ideal pre-grazing target was established during he first experiment (LI95%), the second step consisted of a refinement of the first phase. The second objective was to describe and measure the influence of two timings of new paddock allocation to cows (AM and PM) on herbage chemical composition and DMI, milk yield, milk compostion, and enteric CH4 emissions of Holstein × Jersey dairy cows. Results supported the general understanding of diurnal variation in herbage chemical composition towards greater concentrations of dry matter and non-fibrous carbohydrates, and lower concentration of fiber components in the afternoon herbage. However, the higher nutritive value of the afternoon herbage did not result in increasead DMI and milk yield, or decreased intensity of CH4 emission by dairy cows. Our findings also indicate that new paddock allocation in the afternoon can be a simple and useful grazing strategy that results in greater N partitioning to protein yield, and lower excretion of urea N in milk. The association of LI95% pre-grazing target and PM allocation could bring economic, productive and environmental benefits towards sustainable intensification of tropical pasture-based systems. / Sistemas baseados no uso de pastagens são importantes fornecedores de leite para a indústria de latícinios e, dessa forma, terão papel relevante para suportar a crescente demanda por alimentos. No entanto, essa oferta adicional de leite deve ser obtida através de maiores produtividades resultantes da intensificação de sistemas de produção já existentes por meio de estratégias ambientalmente seguras e economicamente rentáveis em direção à intensificação sustentável. A hipótese central deste estudo foi que estratégias simples de manejo do pastejo podem melhorar a eficiência e, ao mesmo tempo, reduzir os principais impactos ambientais dos sistemas de produção animal em pastagens tropicais. Foram realizados dois experimentos em pastagem de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. Cv. Cameroon) não-irrigada em Piracicaba, SP, Brasil. O objetivo do primeiro experimento foi avaliar a influência de duas metas pré-pastejo (95% e máxima interceptação de luz pelo dossel durante a rebrotação; IL95% e ILMáx, respectivamente) sobre a estrutura do pasto e valor nutritivo da forragem, consumo de matéria seca (CMS), produção de leite, taxa de lotação, emissões de metano entérico (CH4) de vacas HPB × Jersey, e o fluxo de óxido nitroso dos solos. Os resultados indicaram que a altura pré-pastejo foi maior para ILMáx (≈135 cm) do que IL95% (≈100 cm) e pode ser usada como um guia de campo confiável para monitorar a estrutura do pasto. O manejo do pastejo com base nos critérios de IL95% melhorou o valor nutritivo da forragem e a eficiência de pastejo, permitindo maior CMS, produção de leite e taxa de lotação. A emissão diária de CH4 entérico não foi afetada; no entanto, as vacas que pastejaram o capim-elefante manejado por IL95% foram mais eficientes e emitiram 21% menos CH4/kg de leite e 18% menos CH4/kg de MS consumida. O aumento de 51% na produção de leite por hectare superou o aumento de 29% nas emissões de CH4 entérico por hectare para a meta IL95%. Os fluxos de óxido nitroso não foram afetados pelas metas pré-pastejo. De maneira geral, o manejo do pastejo com base na meta IL95% é uma prática ambientalmente segura que melhora a eficiência de uso dos recursos alocados por meio da otimização de processos envolvendo plantas, ruminantes e sua interface, e aumenta a eficiência da produção de leite em sistemas baseados em pastagens tropicais. Uma vez que a meta pré-pastejo ideal foi estabelecida durante o primeiro experimento (IL95%), a segunda etapa consistiu-se em um refinamento da primeira. O segundo objetivo foi descrever e medir a influência de dois horários de alocação de novos piquetes aos animais (AM e PM) sobre a composição química da forragem, CMS, produção e composição do leite, e emissões de CH4 entérico de vacas HPB × Jersey. Os resultados confirmaram a compreensão geral da variação diurna na composição química da forragem em direção a maiores concentrações de matéria seca e de carboidratos não-fibrosos, e menor concentração de componentes da fibra na forragem amostrada pela à tarde. No entanto, o maior valor nutritivo da forragem da tarde não aumentou o CMS e a produção de leite, nem diminuiu a intensidade de emissão de CH4 das vacas leiteiras. Os resultados também indicaram que a alocação à tarde pode ser uma estratégia de manejo simples e útil que resulta em maior partição de N para produção de proteína, e menor excreção de N ureico no leite. A associação da meta pré-pastejo IL95% e a alocação do rebanho para um novo piquete à tarde poderia trazer benefícios econômicos, produtivos e ambientais para a intensificação sustentável de sistemas baseados em pastagens tropicais.

A mudança de uso da terra no Cerrado acarreta em alterações na dinâmica da matéria orgânica do solo (MOS). Práticas de manejo com revolvimento das camadas de solo aceleram a decomposição da MOS, favorecendo as emissões de gases do efeito estufa do solo para atmosfera. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar as mudanças na dinâmica da MOS de um Neossolo Quartzarênico submetido a diferentes usos e sistemas de manejo, utilizando como referência o sistema nativo (Cerrado). O presente estudo foi realizado no município de Comodoro - MT (13º50\'00\" a 13º50\'03\" S e 59º37\'18\" O). Foi empregado o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com sete áreas de estudo. As coletas foram realizadas em julho de 2005 e fevereiro de 2006 e as áreas amostradas foram: Cerrado nativo (CER); pastagem (CAP22); plantio convencional com a cultura da soja (CS1), sucessão de culturas arroz-soja (CAS3) e sucessão arroz-soja-sorgo ou milheto (CAS/Sor3 e CAS/M3); e plantio direto (CAP13S/M5). Foram estudadas as seguintes variáveis: atributos físicos e químicos do solo, estoques de carbono (C) e nitrogênio (N) do solo, teores de C e N nas frações granulométricas da MOS, quantidades de N inorgânico, C e N microbiano do solo, quociente metabólico (qCO2) e fluxos de gases do solo (CO2, N2O e CH4). Os resultados deste estudo indicaram que os sistemas com plantio convencional e plantio direto avaliados apresentaram melhoria nos atributos físicos e químicos do solo em relação a pastagem (CAP22), com menor compactação do solo e aumento na disponibilidade de fósforo, cálcio e magnésio. Foram obtidos maiores estoques de C e N em CAS/Sor3 e CAS/M3, áreas com maiores teores de argila. A área CAP13S/M5 também mostrou maiores teores de argila, porém baixos estoques de C e N, resultado atribuído ao uso da terra por treze anos com pastagem sem reforma e ao pouco tempo de implantação do sistema plantio direto. Analisando as frações granulométricas da MOS verificou-se maiores teores de C e N na fração menor que 50 \'mü\'m. As maiores quantidades de N inorgânico em relação ao CER foram observados na área CAS/M3, e com exceção desta área, a forma predominante de N inorgânico foi o amônio. Foram obtidas maiores quantidades de C e N microbiano na época úmida, quando todas as áreas estavam com cobertura vegetal. Entre as áreas de estudo, as maiores quantidades de C e N microbiano foram obtidos em CAP22. Os fluxos de C-CO2, com exceção da área CAS/Sor3, foram maiores na época úmida, enquanto que os fluxos de N-N2O e C-CH4 foram semelhantes entre as épocas de estudo. Os fluxos de gases em C equivalente não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre as áreas de estudo devido ao alto desvio padrão verificado para cada gás. A mudança de uso da terra promove alterações na dinâmica da MOS, porém neste estudo não foi possível distinguir qual o melhor sistema de uso para o Neossolo Quartzarênico devido ao pouco tempo de implantação dos sistemas plantio convencional e plantio direto, e a degradação da pastagem (apesar do maior tempo de implantação) / Land-use changes of Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) result in alterations of the soil organic matter (SOM). Managements practices with tillage accelerate the SOM decomposition, enhancing greenhouse gases emissions from the soil to the atmosphere. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the changes in the SOM dynamics of a Typic Quartzipisamment submitted to different uses and managements systems, using as reference the native system (Cerrado). The present study was conducted in areas located at Comodoro (Mato Grosso state, Brazil) (from 13º50\'00\" till 13º50\'03\" S and 59º37\'18\" W). At each site, samples were taken randomly within seven areas. Sampling activities were performed in July 2005 and February 2006 and the sample sites consist of an area of \"Cerrado\" (CER); pasture (CAP22); conventional tillage with soybean (CS1), rice-soybean succession (CAS3) and rice-soybean-sorghum or millet (CAS/Sor3 and CAS/M3) successions; and a field with no-tillage system (CAP13S/M5). Studied variables were: physical and chemical attributes, C and N stocks, isotopic composition of 13C/12C and 15N/14N, C and N content in the SOM fractions, quantity of inorganic N, microbial C and N biomass, metabolic quotient (qCO2), and the soil gases fluxes (CO2, N2O and CH4). The results of this study showed that all evaluated fields under conventional or no-tillage systems result in physical and chemical attribute improvement in relation to the pasture (CAP22), with soil compaction decrease, pH increase and improvement of the availability in phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The C and N stocks were higher in areas CAS/Sor3 and CAS/M3, corresponding to the highest clay content. The area CAP13S/M5 showed similar clay content, but smaller C and N stocks, this result was attributed to the land-use: thirteen years as pastures without reform and also the short time of no-tillage implantation. Analyzing the SOM fractions, it was verified higher C and N contents in the 50 \'mü\'m fraction. The higher quantities of inorganic N in relation to the CER were found in area CAS/M3, and with exception of this area, ammonium was the predominant form of inorganic N. Higher quantities of the microbial C and N were obtained during the wet season, when all areas presented a cover crop. Among areas, the higher quantities of microbial C and N were obtained in CAP22. The fluxes of C-CO2, excepting area CAS/Sor3, were higher during the wet season, while the fluxes of N-N2O and C-CH4 were similar between seasons studied, because high standard deviations were calculated for each gas. The land use promoted alterations in SOM dynamic, however it was not possible to differentiate the best land use for this Typic Quartzipisamment, mainly due to the short time of no-tillage implantation, and the degradation of the pasture (although of the implantation time was higher)

Há um cenário de agrave na indústria de energia elétrica no Brasil, por escassez de energia afluente na produção hídrica, exigindo maior acionamento térmico. Para o futuro, usinas predominantemente a fio dágua, que estão sendo inseridas, estarão pronunciando ainda mais essa necessidade. Por força da estruturação térmica, sobrarão mais emissões de gases de efeito estufa - GEEs e consumo de recursos fósseis por unidade de energia elétrica produzida. Este estudo visa testar a possibilidade de construção de um cenário futuro, eleito 2050, de fornecimento de energia elétrica no país, balizado na aceleração do uso das fontes renováveis, premissa postulada como alinhamento à busca de desenvolvimento sustentável para o país. É utilizada a pesquisa, análise e síntese, com abordagem sistêmica, e aplicação de indicadores eleitos fundamentais para alcance do objetivo. São sistematizados dados e informações existentes em diferentes tipos de documentos elaborados por autores e organizações nacionais e internacionais, e nos planos governamentais de expansão da produção de energia elétrica. A partir do referencial teórico metodológico adotado, os resultados obtidos demonstram que é possível estabelecer um planejamento de longo prazo baseado no uso renovável dos recursos de que o país dispõe, com menores pressões socioambientais, consumos de fósseis, e emissões de gases de efeito estufa, por unidade de energia produzida. São obtidas maiores participações de fontes renováveis com menor participação da fonte hídrica, e menores participações de emissões de gases de efeito estufa e de consumo de óleo combustível. Sem incorrer em aumento nos custos de produção. Resulta um sistema descentralizado, híbrido, com maior expansão das fontes térmicas renováveis, eólica e solar, maior participação de produção independente cogeração, autoprodução, e geração distribuída e menor carga na rede de transmissão, comparativamente ao cenário atual. / There is an aggravated prospect in the Brazilian electric energy industry, due to a shortage of affluent energy in the hydric production, requiring a greater thermal use. For the future, the insertion of hydroelectric power plants predominantly without reservoirs will make this need even more evident. Due to the thermal structuring, there will be more emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and consumption of fossil resources per unit of electric energy produced. This study aims to test the possibility of building a future setting, elected 2050, of electric energy supply in the country, beaconed on the acceleration of the use of renewable sources, premise postulated in alignment with the pursuit of sustainable development for the country. The research, analysis and synthesis is adopted, with a systemic approach, and applying the indicators elected as paramount to reach the goal. Data and information from different types of documents produced by international and national authors and organizations as well as governmental plans of expansion of electric energy production were systematized. From the theoretical and methodological framework adopted, the results obtained have shown that it is possible to establish a long term plan, based on the use of the available resources, with decreased social and environmental pressure, fossil consumption, and emission of GHGs per unity of energy produced. A greater participation of renewable sources is achieved, while the participation of hydric sources, the emissions of GHGs and consumption of oil-fuels are reduced. There is no increase in the production costs. The result is a decentralized, hybrid system with larger expansion of renewable thermal, wind and solar sources, larger participation of independent production co-generation, auto-generation and distributed generation and a diminished load on the transmission network, compared to the current scenario.