Proceedings of the 11th International Carbon Dioxide Conference

Pampa Biome is responsible for a significant part of Brazilian rice and cattle production. In recent decades, the conversion of natural pasture areas in this biome into soybean crops has increased significantly. To avoid the conversion of natural areas into new agricultural areas, it is essential to intensify and enhance agricultural and livestock production in areas already converted. The monitoring of carbon exchanges (CO2 and CH4) using flux towers carried out by this research group demonstrates that rice paddy cultivation areas and cattle raising on natural pastures are a carbon absorber in the summer and an emitter in the winter. The objective of this study was to evaluate winter management systems that increase carbon absorption in areas used to grow irrigated rice and raise cattle on natural pastures. Four flux towers were installed, two in rice paddy areas and two in natural pastures grazed by cattle. Rice areas are managed using the conventional system (after the rice harvest, cattle graze the spontaneous winter plants) or by sowing forage plants after the rice harvest and grazing by animals during the winter. Areas with natural pastures are managed using the conventional system (continuous cattle grazing and without introducing plants) or with the introduction of forage plants in winter (pasture improvement) for cattle grazing. Preliminary results indicate that systems introducing forages in winter increase carbon absorption in this period, which also results in greater animal production. This demonstrates that it is possible to build a scenario for preserving the Pampa biome with increased food production.