Accumulated Carbon Fractions in Tropical Sandy Soils and Their Effects on Fertility and Grain Yield in an Integrated Crop–Livestock System

Food production in sandy soils has evolved significantly, most notably through the advent of integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLSs). ICLSs increase soil cover, which maintains moisture and sequesters carbon (C). Here we investigate influence on physical, chemical, biochemical properties, grain yield (GY) tropical short-time. We compared seven two consecutive crops seasons (with soybean or maize as cash crops) southeastern Brazil. These were (1) corn + Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás—soybean (ICL-Paiaguás); (2) U. Piatã—soybean; (3) ruziziensis—soybean; (4) corn–soybean under conventional tillage (CT) a negative control; (5) no-tillage (NT) positive (6) Paiaguás grass—continuous grazing (Perennial Paiaguás); (7) Piatã Piatã). Soybean GY data, physical chemical attributes, enzymatic activity subjected to descriptive statistics multivariate analysis. CT NT shared high loadings H Al, temperature low pH, SOM fractions, cationic exchange capacity, arylsulfatase activity. ICL-Paiaguás Perennial had similarly loading total N, humin, organic carbon, mineral-associated stocks. The fulvic acid fraction was sensitive C accumulation ICLSs. Soil water thermal regimes limiting both NT. study not only confirms capacity conservation mechanisms enhance soil-based ecosystem functions, but it also highlights potential aid sustainable food even context soils, frequently receive limited attention intensive agricultural practices.