Today we celebrate National Cerrado Day. Experts comment on the characteristics of the biome and show the reasons for deforestation and how to conserve the Cerrado.
Today, September 11th, National Cerrado Day is celebrated. The date was created to highlight the second largest biome in Brazil and South America.
Known as the Brazilian savannah, the Cerrado occupies approximately 25% of the country’s territory. The biome covers 12 states, with a predominance of the central areas of Brazil.
Remembered for its rich biodiversity, the Cerrado has a large number of species and landscapes. The vegetation is characteristic, with not very tall trees, with tortuous trunks and which lose their leaves during the dry season.
The biome, characterized by two defined seasons: one dry and one rainy, is also known as Brazil’s water reservoir.
Where is Cerrado located?
The Cerrado has a unique characteristic, according to this article: it is the only biome in South America to have these biogeographic contacts: it is limited to the north with the Amazon biome; to the east and north-east, with the Caatinga; to the south-west, with the Pantanal; and to the south-east, with the Atlantic Forest.
The Cerrado biome is located in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Maranhão, Piauí, Rondônia, Paraná, São Paulo and the Federal District and some enclaves (land or territory within of another) in Amapá, Amazonas and Roraima.
The countries Paraguay and Bolivia also have Cerrado characteristics.
Characteristics of the Cerrado
The characteristics of the Cerrado biome involve its great biodiversity and can be assessed, for example, in the entrance exams for Biology and Enem.
André Luis S. Zecchin, biologist, director of the Serra do Tombador Nature Reserve, in Cavalcante (GO), managed by the Fundação Grupo Boticário, states that the Cerrado is the only biome with savannah characteristics in Brazil.
“The Cerrado is the biome with the largest number of species, the richest in the world. We often say that the Cerrado is only what it is because of its diversity of landscapes, species and traditional peoples associated with it”
André Zechin
The data in this article details that the Cerrado has approximately 11,627 native plant species, of which approximately 4,400 are endemic species (existing only in this biome).
See below main characteristics of the Cerrado.
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The vegetation has predominant characteristics such as trees with large and tortuous trunks, as well as grasses and shrubs.
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The climate is seasonal tropical, with two defined seasons: a dry season and a rainy season.
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Cerrado soils are generally nutrient-poor, with a reddish color and high porosity.
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It has 11 main types of vegetation, distributed in savannah, grasslands and forest formations.
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The fauna is quite varied, with species such as jaguars and giant anteaters.
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Among the major agricultural products grown in the biome are soybeans, sugarcane, corn, and cotton.
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The Cerrado has approximately 200 native species that have economic and medicinal potential
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It is considered the Brazilian water reservoir.
Cerrado, Brazil’s water reservoir
Biologist André Zecchin points out that, due to the richness of its landscapes, especially open fields, the Cerrado is known as Brazil’s water reservoir, as it serves as a large water supply for Brazil.
The director explains that, since the Cerrado is located in a more central and higher region of Brazil, its rural formations have an excellent capacity to absorb rainwater and, consequently, to recharge the aquifers.
“The location of the Cerrado, with its vegetation characteristics, makes the biome the largest water reservoir in Brazil, which is responsible for water recharge and supply of the country’s main river basins”
André Zechin
Deforestation of the Cerrado
Cerrado deforestation is an environmental problem that has promoted the destruction of the biome. Data collected by biologist André Zecchin indicates that the greatest deforestation is recorded in the regions of the states of Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí.
The professional points out that, although the Cerrado is the second Brazilian biome with the greatest natural coverage (about 50%), second only to the Amazon, it is the biome that suffers most rapidly from deforestation.
“The Cerrado is the easiest biome to deforest because it is an environment that does not have many forest areas, it does not have many physical barriers to the expansion of the agricultural frontier. The Cerrado can be deforested overnight and, with that, the agriculture advances very rapidly in the remaining areas of this biome,” he explains.
Among the reasons for the deforestation of the Cerrado are:
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Soil transformation
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Large soybean and corn plantations
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Livestock
How to conserve the Cerrado?
André Luis S. Zecchin, biologist, director of the Serra do Tombador Nature Reserve, in Cavalcante (GO), managed by the Grupo Boticário Foundation, believes that there are two ways to conserve the Cerrado biome:
-Creation and maintenance of protected areas: “Public authorities that have the tools to create conservation units or indigenous and quilombola territories”, believes
-Alternative solutions: “Measures other than conventional ones adopted by economic activities that adopt good practices, such as agroforestry systems and land use optimization, for example, can be created, without the need to clear land to generate revenue “he says.
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[2] Personal archive
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
Source: Terra
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