Runoff, soil loss, and sources of particulate organic carbon delivered to streams by sugarcane and riparian areas: An isotopic approach

Soil erosion leads to land degradation and translocation of soil particles together with associated particulate organic carbon (POC) and nutrients, thereby influencing the global carbon cycle. In the present study, we estimated the contribution of POC delivered to a first-order stream from upslope sugarcane fields and a riparian forest in southeast Brazil. The results show that the amount of surface runoff and soil erosion generated in the riparian forest is significantly lower than in the upslope sugarcane field. However, the contribution of the forest to the total stream bed POC was above 70%, even though most sediments delivered to the stream originated from the upland sugarcane fields. The discrepancy between sediment and POC delivery from both land uses is a consequence of the presence of preferential runoff pathways from the agricultural fields, through the buffer strips, to the stream. This disconnection between the main sources of sediment and POC to the first-order stream is a potentially important mechanism influencing the transfer of POC from upslope areas to waterways. This mechanism should be considered in order to more reliably assess fluxes of OC from upslope areas to first-order streams in landscapes where arable land is separated from streams by a semi-natural buffer zone with permanent vegetation. •Poor soil conservation allows pathways formation connecting crop lands to streams.•Preferential pathways may severely reduce the buffer strips mitigation capacities.•Lateral fluxes of OC to inland waters due to erosion is an important mechanism.