Sustainable pasture management in the Pantanal biome for climate mitigation and adaptation in livestock systems

Abstract

The objective of this review paper was to describe management practices for natural grasslands and cultivated pastures in the Pantanal that contribute to carbon sequestration and methane emission reduction, in order to support the application of the Fazenda Pantaneira Sustentável (FPS) - sustainable Pantanal ranch - tool, used to assess pasture conservation and guide climate-smart management in ranches, used to assess pasture conservation and guide climate-smart management in cattle ranches. The used framework aligns management practices with key ecophysiological elements of pasture functions and with mitigation and resilience pathways. Carbon sequestration is enhanced by maintaining a moderate grazing pressure and through management strategies that directly conserve the existing stocks and the increase of carbon fixation. The mitigation of methane emission depends largely on the floristic composition and nutritional quality of the diet in the livestock system. This is proactively managed by using the forage value indicator to guide practices such as strategic supplementation. By aligning these target practices with the indicators and ecological thresholds of FPS, this approach enables spatially differentiated interventions that optimize nutritional balance, reduce enteric fermentation, and strengthen the resilience of the Pantanal livestock systems against climatic variability.