The Pantanal is one of the six continental Brazilian biomes, along with the Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Pampa. It consists of the floodplain located south of Mato Grosso and northwest of Mato Grosso do Sul, also covering part of Bolivia and Paraguay.
Even though it is the smallest biome in Brazil (covering only 1.67% of the national territory) the Pantanal is the largest floodplain in the world, with about 250 thousand km².
Due to its rich ecosystem, the Pantanal is considered by UNESCO as a "Biosphere Reserve". In addition, the agency granted the region the title of "World Natural Heritage" (title given to areas of fundamental importance from a biological point of view).
The Pantanal region located exclusively in Brazil is also called Pantanal Matogrossense. The area has about 150 thousand km² and is surrounded by land from 600 to 700 meters high, giving the plain a “basin” aspect. Thus, the biome's main characteristic is the constant flooding that radically changes the local scenario.
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geography
As said, the Pantanal is the largest floodplain in the world. This is due to factors such as:
- passage of the Paraguay River through the state of Mato Grosso, causing its tributaries to cross the Pantanal region, flooding large areas
- very high rain rates during the summer
- its plains have low altitude (no more than 200 meters above sea level) and are surrounded by plateaus and mountains, forming a kind of "basin"
- low slope north-south and east-west. This means that the water from the Paraguay River and rain does not drain quickly through the region, resulting in floods that last up to four months
- the sandy soil of the plains has low absorption, contributing to the accumulation of water
Although most areas of the Pantanal remain flooded for a few months, some regions remain submerged indefinitely, even outside the rainy season.
Climatic and geographic factors hinder the flow of water in the Pantanal.
Climate
Rainfall rates in the Pantanal are always high, even outside the rainy season. This is due to the constant presence of water vapors in the air, resulting from the accumulated water and the hot and humid climate in the region.
Flora and fauna
Fluctuations in water levels in the Pantanal are mainly responsible for the richness of the local ecosystem. During floods, the flora of the Pantanal is made up of a huge range of aquatic plants.
In periods of drought, the soil is in favorable conditions for the birth of vast vegetation, with medium-sized trees, creeping plants and grasses ideal for grazing.
According to official data from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - EMBRAPA, there are about 1500 species of plants cataloged in the Pantanal region.
Regarding the fauna of the region, EMBRAPA estimated the presence of:
- 280 species of fish
- 90 species of mammals
- 600 species of birds
- 50 species of reptiles
The natural conditions of the fauna and flora established livestock and fishing as the main economic activities in the Pantanal.
See too:
- Brazilian Biomes
