The Pampa (southern prairies) biome covers the southern half of Rio Grande do Sul state and constitutes the Brazilian part of South-American Pampas which extend into Uruguayan and Argentinean territories. Pampas are classified as Estepe by the International phytogeographical system, been characterized by a rainy climate, without systematic dry periods but marked by frequent below freezing temperatures in winter.

This biome comprehends an environment with different lithologies and soils, covered mostly by herbaceous or shrubby vegetation. The human activity in the Pampa, initiated with the introduction of cattle in 1634 by the Jesuit, resulted in significant homogenization of the vegetation with reduction in woody shrub species and increase in those with rhizomes.

The objective of this project is to evaluate green-house gases (GHG) and carbon balances in livestock production systems in the Pampa biome, evaluating the mitigation potential of native grass pastures with different levels of intensification and integration systems.

Production systems under evaluation: beef cattle production on native grass lands under different levels of intensification; crop-livestock integration systems.