The Potential for Soil Carbon Sequestration in the Pampas

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).