Cerrado: a savana mais rica do mundo | Nossos Biomas

Cerrado: The Rich Savanna Biome of Brazil

This section introduces the Cerrado biome, highlighting its significance as the second-largest biome in South America and one of the world's richest savannas in terms of biodiversity.

The Importance of Cerrado

• The Cerrado is considered one of the most important natural regions in Brazil due to its rich fauna and flora, with three out of ten Brazilian plant and animal species found within its boundaries.

• Initially viewed as a poor region compared to other ecosystems globally, the Cerrado is now recognized as the second-largest Brazilian biome, covering approximately 24% of the national territory.

• Despite facing frequent wildfires, which are a natural element in the ecosystem, discoveries of coal deposits indicate that fires occurred even before human presence in South America.

Adaptation to Fire

• Local plant and animal species have adapted to periodic fires, leading to a distinctive landscape characterized by sparse trees with twisted branches that regenerate after fires.

• Fires play a crucial role in maintaining vegetation diversity by promoting seed dispersal and creating open habitats necessary for various species' survival.

Conservation Challenges

• While natural wildfires are part of the local life cycle, human-induced or prolonged drought-related fires pose risks to species as they hinder adequate regeneration time.

• The Cerrado spans 14 Brazilian states and the Federal District, encompassing diverse regions like Central-West, Southeast, North, and Northeast Brazil.

Diverse Ecosystems Within Cerrado

This section explores the varied ecosystems present within the Cerrado biome and their ecological characteristics.

Ecosystem Diversity

• The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park stands out as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. It serves as an essential environmental preservation area supporting numerous plant and animal species alongside water sources vital for economic activities like tourism.

Climatic Conditions

• The Cerrado experiences two distinct seasons: a dry period from May to September and a rainy season from October to April. These periods are also known as dry winter and rainy summer respectively.

• During the dry season, air humidity drops significantly below 10% in some areas while annual precipitation ranges between 1,250 to 2,000 mm. In contrast, up to 90% of rainfall occurs during the wet season.

Geographical Features

• Characterized by varying altitudes ranging from under 300 meters to high plateaus reaching up to 1,600 meters. This altitude diversity contributes to temperature fluctuations across different regions within the biome.

• The Cerrado comprises old surfaces like extensive plateaus interspersed with depressions alongside newer formations such as chapadas (flat-topped mountains). Notable chapadas include Chapada dos Veadeiros and Chapada dos Guimarães.

Vegetation Types in Cerrado

This section delves into the diverse vegetation types found within the Cerrado biome along with their unique adaptations.

Vegetation Composition

• Three main vegetation types exist in the Cerrado: forests dominated by tree canopies like Ipês; savannas featuring scattered trees without dense forest cover; and grasslands known for their adaptation to natural fires fostering low trees with irregular branching patterns.

• Savannas exhibit lower trees inclined with twisted branches randomly distributed. They often possess deep roots aiding water access from groundwater levels while adapting well to regional climates.

The Biodiversity of the Cerrado Biome

This section discusses the unique vegetation and plant species found in the Cerrado biome, highlighting key flora such as pequi, Buriti, and various herbs and shrubs that characterize different areas within the biome.

Flora of the Cerrado Biome

• The Cerrado biome features distinct vegetation zones, including areas with trees like pequi and Buriti, while others are treeless with herbs and shrubs.

• Plant species such as capim estrela, canela de Ema, and flor do Cerrado (Caliandra) are prevalent in these regions.

• The flor do Cerrado is considered a symbol of the biome, flowering from October to June after the dry season. It stands out with its pom-pom-like appearance in red, white, pink, or yellow colors.

Biodiversity and Utilization

• The Cerrado houses over 10 edible fruit types, including pequi and baru seeds known for their nutritional value.

• With over 12,000 plant species naturally occurring in the Cerrado, more than 220 have medicinal uses while over 416 aid in soil recovery by acting as barriers against wind erosion.

Fauna Diversity in the Cerrado Biome

This segment explores the diverse fauna inhabiting the Cerrado biome, showcasing iconic mammal species like capybaras and jaguars alongside a rich avian population featuring toucans and macaws.

Mammals of the Cerrado

• The region hosts around 200 mammal species; notable examples include capybaras, jaguars (onça-pintada), maned wolves (lobo-guará), and black-striped tufted capuchin monkeys (macaco-prego).

• The lobo-guará serves as a symbol of the Cerrado despite its solitary nature; this fox is harmless yet majestic.

Avian Diversity

• Approximately 800 bird species reside in the Cerrado biome. Prominent representatives include parrots, blue-and-yellow macaws (arara Canindé), and tucanuçu toucans known for their distinctive long bills.

Reptiles, Amphibians & Invertebrates of the Cerrado

This part delves into reptilian diversity with over 180 lizard species present along with amphibians like bullfrogs (sapo-boi) and green tree frogs (perereca verde). Additionally highlighted are various invertebrates including spiders, ticks scorpions butterflies crickets dragonflies cicadas which play a significant role culturally signaling rain's arrival.

Reptiles & Amphibians

• The region boasts about 180 reptile species predominantly comprising lizards like calangos. Moreover it shelters over150 amphibian varieties such as bullfrogsand green tree frogs.

Invertebrate Abundance

• A wide array of arachnids ticks scorpions butterflies crickets grasshoppers dragonflies cicadas inhabittheCeradobiome.Cicadasare particularly noteworthy for their song heralding rainfall post extended dry spells.