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Map of the Cerrado ecoregion. Satellite image from NASA. Ecoregion boundary based on World Wide Fund for Nature ecoregions. National borders shown in black.
Map of the Cerrado ecoregion. Satellite image from NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Ecoregion boundary based on World Wide Fund for Nature ecoregions. National borders shown in black.

The Cerrado (English: "closed" or "inaccessible") is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands are a Grassland Biome located in Semi-arid to semi- Humid Climate regions An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Cerrado is characterised by an enormous range of plant and animal biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, it is biologically the richest savanna in the world.


Contents

Climate

The Cerrado region's typical climate is hot, semi-humid, and notedly seasonal, with a dry winter season from May through September or October. The annual rainfall is around 800 to 1600 mm. The soils are generally very old, deep, and without fertilization,[1] chemically poor.

Flora

Cerrado vegetation of Brazil
Cerrado vegetation of Brazil

The "cerrado" landscape is characterized by extensive savanna formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys. Cerrado includes various types of vegetation. Humid fields and "buriti" palm paths are found where the water table is near the surface. Alpine pastures occur at higher altitudes and mesophytic forests on more fertile soils.

The savanna formations are not homogenous. There is great variation between the amount of woody and herbaceous vegetation, forming a gradient from completely open "cerrado" — open fields dominated by grasses — to the closed, forest-like "cerrado" and the "cerradão" ("big cerrado"), a closed canopy forest. Intermediate forms include the dirty field, the "cerrado" field, and the "cerrado" sensu stricto, according to a growing density of trees.

The "cerrado" trees have characteristic twisted trunks covered by a thick bark, and leaves which are usually broad and rigid. Many herbaceous plants have extensive roots to store water and nutrients. The plant's thick bark and roots serve as adaptations for the periodic fires which sweep the cerrado landscape. The adaptations protect the plants from destruction and make them capable of sprouting again after the fire.

As in many savannas in the world, the "cerrado" ecosystems have been coexisting with fire since ancient times; initially as natural fires caused by lightning or volcanic activity, and later caused by man.

The great habitat variability in the different types of "cerrado" supports an enormous diversity of plant and animal species. Recent studies, such as the one presented by J. A. Ratter and other authors in "Avanços no Estudo da Biodiversidade da Flora Lenhosa do Bioma Cerrado" (Advances in the Study of the Biodiversity of the Ligneous Flora of the "Cerrado" Bioma) in 1995, estimate the number of vascular plants at around 10,000 species.

Fauna

More than 1600 species of mammals, birds and reptiles have been identified in the cerrado ("Cerrado's Fauna", Costa et al. , 1981), including 180 reptile species, 113 amphibians, 837 birds and 195 mammals (WWF). Among the invertebrates, the most notable are the termites and the leaf-cutter ants ("saúvas"). The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy Leafcutter ants are social Insects found in warmer regions of the Americas. They are the main herbivores of the cerrado, important to consuming and decomposing of organic matter, as well as constituting an important food source to many other animal species. The Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus) and Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) are large insectivores that thrive on the ants and termites. The Giant Armadillo, also variously Tatou, Ocarro, Tatu-canastra or Tatú Carreta, Priodontes maximus is the largest The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest Species of Anteater. An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of Insects and similar small creatures Large herbivores include the Brazilian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and Pampas Deer (Ozotoceros bezoarcticus). Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell The Brazilian Tapir (from the Tupi tapi'ira) or Anta in Portuguese also known as the Lowland Tapir ( Tapirus terrestris) is The Pampas Deer, venado de las Pampas or guazu ti'i, ( Ozotoceros bezoarticus) is a Deer Species from South America. Large predators include the Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), Cougar (Puma concolor), Jaguar (Panthera onca), Ocelot (Felis pardalis), and Jaguarundi (Felis yagouaroundi). The Maned Wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest canid of South America, resembling a big fox with reddish fur The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family The jaguar (Panthera onca,, or—especially in British English — is a New World Mammal of the Felidae family and one of The Ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis) also known as the Painted Leopard, McKenney's Wildcat, Jaguatirica (in Brazil or Manigordo The jaguarundi ( Puma yagouaroundi) is a medium-sized Mexican, Central and South American wild cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches Several monkey species are present, including black-striped capuchin monkeys (Cebus libidinosus}, black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) and black-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata). The Black-striped Capuchin, Cebus libidinosus, is a Capuchin monkey from South America. Howler monkeys ( Genus Alouatta monotypic in Subfamily Alouattinae) are among the largest of the New World monkeys The Black Howler Monkey ( Alouatta caraya) is a species of Howler monkey, a large New World monkey, from Argentina, Bolivia, Marmosets are New World monkeys of the genus Callithrix, which contains 18 species The Black-tufted Marmoset ( Callithrix (Callithrix penicillata) also known as the Black-pencilled Marmoset and Mico-estrela in Portuguese [2]

History

Taking advantage of the sprouting of the herbaceous stratum that follows a burning in the "cerrado", the primitive inhabitants of these regions have learned to use the fire as a tool, to increase the fodder to offer to their domesticated animals.

Until the mid 60's, agricultural activities in the "cerrados" were very limited, directed mainly at the extensive production of beef cattle for subsistence or the local market, since "cerrado" soils are naturally infertile for agricultural production. After this period, however, the urban and industrial development of the Southeast Region has forced agriculture to the Central-West Region. The transfer of the country's capital to Brasilia has been another focus of attraction of population to the central region. From 1975 until the beginning of the 80's, many governmental programs have been launched with the intent of stimulating the development of the "cerrado" region, through subsidies for agriculture. As a result, there has been a significant increase in agricultural and cattle production. On the other hand, the urban pressure and the rapid establishment of agricultural activities in the region have been rapidly reducing the bio-diversity of the ecosystems.

Agriculture

The cerrado was thought worthless for agriculture until researchers at Brazil’s agricultural and livestock research agency, Embrapa, discovered that it could be made fertile by appropriate additions of phosphorus and lime. The Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA (Brazilian Enterprise for Research on Farming and Cattle Raising is a state-owned Researchers also developed tropical varieties of soybeans, until then a temperate crop. [3]

Nowadays the "cerrado" region contributes with more than 70% of the beef cattle production in the country ("Pecuária de Corte no Brasil Central"; Beef Cattle Production in Central Brazil, Corrêa, 1989), and thanks to irrigation and soil correcting techniques it is also an important production centre of grains, mainly soya, beans, maize and rice. Great extensions of "cerrado" are also utilised in the production of cellulose pulp for the paper industry, with the cultivation of several species of Eucalyptos and Pinus, but still as a secondary activity.

The region is increasingly threatened by single-crop monoculture plantations (particularly soybeans), the expansion of agriculture in general, and the burning of the vegetation for charcoal. Monoculture is the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area Charcoal' is the blackish residue consisting of impure Carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from Animal and Vegetation

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug has described the Cerrado as one of Earth's last remaining arable frontiers for the expansion of agriculture. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Norman Ernest Borlaug (born March 25 1914 is an American Agronomist, Humanitarian, Nobel laureate, and has been called the father of the The 2006 World Food Prize was awarded to former Brazilian Minister of Agriculture Alysson Paolinelli, soil scientist Edson Lobato (also of Brazil), and American soil scientist A. The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality quantity or availability of Colin McClung for their leadership in soil science and policy implementation that opened the Cerrado to agricultural and food production.

Conservation

The Cerrado is one of the most threatened ecosystems in Brazil, suffering effects of the agricultural activities, criminal fires, and other anthropic effects. Less than 3% of this domain is protected by law, and some of 10% are regions without human interference.

The conservation of the "cerrados" natural resources is represented by different categories of conservation units, according to specific objectives: eight national parks, various state parks and ecological stations, comprising around 6. 5% of the total "cerrado" area ("Cerrado: Caracterização, Ocupação e Perspectiva"; Cerrado: Characterisation, Occupation and Perspectives; Dias, 1990). However, this extension is still insufficient and more conservation units need to be created for the protection of the bio-diversity that is still preserved.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ ""Scientists Are Making Brazil’s Savannah Bloom" article by Larry Rohter in the New York Times October 2, 2007
  2. ^ Henriques, Cavalcante "Survey of a Gallery Forest Primate Community in the Cerrado of the Distrito Federal, Central Brazil[[1]]
  3. ^ ""Scientists Are Making Brazil’s Savannah Bloom" article by Larry Rohter in the New York Times October 2, 2007

References

  1. Oliveira, Paulo S. This is a list of plants found in the wild in Cerrado Vegetation of Brazil. In Brazil, the sertão ( Portuguese term for Backcountry or backlands once referred to the vast hinterland of Brazil away from the Atlantic coastal regions Johannes Eugenius Bülow Warming ( November 3, 1841 &ndash April 2, 1924) known as Eugen Warming, was a Danish botanist ; Marquis, Robert J. The Cerrados of Brazil: Ecology and Natural History of a Neotropical Savanna (2002) New York City: Columbia University Press ISBN 0-231-12043-5
  2. (Portuguese) BRANDÃO, M. The City of New York Columbia University Press is a University press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. ; GAVILANES, M. L. (1992). Espécies árboreas padronizadoras do Cerrado mineiro e sua distribuição no Estado. Informe Agropecuário 16 (173): 5-11.
  3. (Portuguese) BRANDÃO, M. ; CARVALHO, P. G. S. ; JESUÉ, G. (1992). Guia Ilustrado de Plantas do Cerrado. CEMIG.
  4. CASTRO, A. A. J. F. , MARTINS F. R. , TAMASHIRO, J. Y. , SHEPHERD G. J. (1999). How rich is the flora of Brazilian Cerrados? Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 86 (1): 192-224.
  5. (Portuguese) COUTINHO, L. M. Cerrado São Paulo: University of São Paulo. ( is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy The University of São Paulo (in Portuguese Universidade de São Paulo; USP) is one of the three public universities funded by the State of São Paulo.
  6. RATTER, J. A. ; RIBEIRO,J. F. & BRIDGEWATER, S. (1997) The Brazilian Cerrado vegetation and Threats to its Biodiversity. Annals of Botany, 80: pp. 223-230.
  7. (Portuguese) LEITÃO FILHO, H. F. (1992). A flora arbórea dos Cerrados do Estado de São Paulo. Hoehnea 19 (1/2): 151-163.
  8. (Portuguese) MENDONÇA, R. C. ; FELFILI, J. M. ; WALTER, B. M. T. ; SILVA, M. C. ; REZENDE, FILGUEIRAS, T. S. ; NOGUEIRA, P. E. Flora vascular do bioma Cerrado. ("Vascular flora of Cerrado biome") IBGE
  9. GOTTSBERGER, G. ; SILBERBAUER-GOTTSBERGER, I. (2006): Life in the Cerrado Reta Verlag, Ulm 2006, ISBN 3-00-017928-3 Volume 1, ISBN 3-00-017929-1 Volume 2

External links

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