The potential for soil carbon sequestration in the Pampas

DÍAZ-ZORITA, MARTÍN; BUSCHIAZZO, DANIEL E

Carbon Sequestration in Latinoamérica

The Haworth Press, Inc

Lugar: New York; Año: 2006; p. 369 - 382

The Pampas region is a vast plain of approximately 130 Mha located in the southern part of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina (Figure 16.1). In Ar­gentina, it covers almost 60 Mha located along the central part of the coun­try, with 35 Mha suitable for cropping. According to rainfall and soil quality patterns (Viglizzo et al., 2001), the Argentine Pampas can be divided in five subregions: rolling Pampas, inland or central Pampas, southern Pampas, flooding Pampas, and Mesopotamian Pampas (Figure 16.2). The climate is warm temperate with adequate to less than adequate rain­fall for normal crop production. The mean temperature ranges between 18°C and 14°C in the north and in the south of the Pampas, respectively (Hall et al., 1992). In part of the region, the temperature and the frost-free period are adequate for growing double crops (i.e., soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] or maize [Zea mays L.] planted after wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] crops). Rainfall amounts are highly variable between years. Most rain­fall occurs between October and April (spring to fall seasons), and the long ­term average ranges between 500 and 1000 mm in the southwest and in the northeast of the region, respectively (Hall et al., 1992).