Brazilian Biomes they are regions that comprise large ecosystems made up of a biological community with similar characteristics. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Brazil has six biomes:
- thick
- Amazon
- Caatinga
- Atlantic forest
- wetland
- pampa
See too: Map of Brazil: states, capitals and regions
Map of Brazilian Biomes
Location of Brazilian biomes on the map.
Source: Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics
Mind Map: Brazilian Biomes
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Types of Biomes in Brazil
1. Amazon Biome
O Amazon biome comprises an area in which the largest rainforest in the world is located. The Amazon Forest extends over nine countries in South America, with its largest portion located in Brazil, occupying about 40% of the territory. It is the largest of all Brazilian biomes. It is characterized by the presence of diverse ecosystems and for holding great biodiversity in fauna and flora. This biome comprises a region constituted by the largest hydrographic basin in the world: the Amazon Basin.
Fauna and Flora
The main representatives of the fauna are the jaguar, pink dolphin, hyacinth macaw, capybara, armadillo and snakes such as rattlesnake and jararaca. The flora consists of approximately 30,000 species of the nearly 100,000 existing in Latin America. Among the best known plant species, the water lily, characteristic of the igapós, stands out.
Hydrography
The Amazon biome comprises a region that encompasses the largest hydrographic basin in the world, the Amazon Basin, which holds 20% of the planet's fresh water. The Amazon River is the main and the largest in volume of water in the world, receiving several tributaries.
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Climate
It comprises a region with a hot and humid climate, with high air humidity throughout the year. The rainfall index is also high, with more than 2000 mm of rain coming from the forest itself.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the Amazon biome is divided into: terra firme forest, floodplain forest and igapó forest. The terra firme forests comprise the highest strata, therefore, they are not flooded. The floodplain forests represent flooded areas during some periods of the year. The igapó forests, on the other hand, constitute the lowest strata of vegetation and are flooded practically throughout the year.
Ground
The Amazonian soil is sandy and has a layer of humus resulting from the deposition of flora, fruits and animal remains. Despite this, only about 14% of the territory can be considered fertile for agricultural practices.
Read too:Reduction of deforestation in the Amazon
The Amazon biome represents a set of different ecosystems and occupies a large part of the Brazilian territory.
2. Cerrado Biome
O thick it is considered the second largest biome in Latin America and Brazil. Known as the Brazilian savanna, it has great biodiversity and comprises an area of high aquifer potential. This biome is characterized by having different phytophysiognomies due to the various geographical contacts it has with other biomes. To the north, it borders the Amazon biome; to the east and northeast, with the Caatinga; to the southwest, with the Pantanal; and to the southeast, with the Atlantic Forest.
Fauna and Flora
The Cerrado has a great biological variety. It has about 837 species of birds, 185 species of reptiles, 194 species of mammals and 150 amphibians. The main representatives of the Cerrado fauna are toucan, giant anteater, maned wolf, puma, pampas deer, among others. Despite the great variety, the Cerrado fauna is not fully known, especially in relation to the invertebrate group.
Regarding flora, scholars estimate that there are about ten thousand species of plants that have already been identified. Many species are used for medicinal purposes and for food. They are representatives of the Cerrado flora: ipê, cagaita, angico, jatobá, pequi, barbatimão, among others.
Hydrography
The Cerrado is home to sources of the main Brazilian rivers, comprising, according to IBGE, nine of the twelve hydrographic basins existing in Brazil. In addition to housing so many hydrographic basins, the Cerrado is located in a region where there are large aquifers, such as the Guarani and Bambuí. Therefore, this biome is considered the cradle of water.
Climate
The climate of the Cerrado biome is predominantly tropical and seasonal, with two well-defined seasons: dry winters and rainy summers. The dry period starts in May and ends in September. The rainy season starts in October and ends in April. The average rainfall is 1500 mm, and the average annual temperature is 22ºC, varying over these periods.
Vegetation
The Cerrado has vegetation distributed in savanna formations, forest formations and countryside formations. The species range from arboreal, herbaceous, shrub and vine plants, being distributed between woody and herbaceous strata. In addition to the crooked trunk trees, which can reach up to 20 meters, there are also cacti and orchids in the Cerrado. The vegetation of this biome presents shades of green, yellow and brownish tones caused by discoloration caused by sunlight.
Ground
The Cerrado soils are old (Tertiary Period) and are characterized mainly by depth and drainage. They are very porous and permeable, enabling the leaching process (erosive process caused by washing the surface layer of the soil). They have reddish colors and are divided into oxisols and podzolics. Oxisols are reddish, have acidity and are poor in nutrients. On the other hand, podzolic or argisols have a darker color and are prone to undergo erosive processes.
Know more:Causes of deforestation in the Cerrado biome
The Cerrado vegetation is composed of trees with crooked trunks and deep roots.
3. Caatinga Biome
O Caatinga biome it comprises about 11% of the Brazilian territory, occupying a good part of the Northeast Region to the northern portion of Minas Gerais. The name given to this biome has an indigenous origin and means “white forest”, a name that refers to the characteristics of this vegetation throughout the dry season. Considered the driest biome, the Caatinga has low rainfall.
Fauna and Flora
According to some scholars, the Caatinga is an exclusive biome in Brazil, and for this reason, most of its species is endemic (it only occurs in a certain area). Among the Brazilian biomes, it has the least known botany. The most characteristic species of its flora are mandacaru, juazeiro, umbu, xiquexique, among others. The flora varies according to local characteristics, such as rainfall and soil characteristics.
The Caatinga fauna is rich in biodiversity, with around 178 mammals, 591 birds, 177 reptile species, 79 amphibians, 241 fish and 221 species of bees. The main representatives of this biome are alligator, python, blue macaw, tortoise and araripe toy.
Hydrography
The Caatinga is characterized by having intermittent rivers, that is, rivers that dry up during a period of the year. Compared to the intermittent ones, there are few perennial rivers in this biome. An example of them is the São Francisco. The rivers of the Caatinga are born at the headwaters of the mountains and plateaus. The water table in the region covered by this biome has a low level of water due to the scarcity of rain and the poorly permeable soil.
Climate
The Caatinga biome comprises the region in which the semi-arid climate predominates, which defines the main characteristics of this biome. Rainfall levels reach about 800 mm per year. The semi-arid climate has two periods, one of rain and one of drought. During rainy periods, rainfall levels reach 1000 mm per year. In times of drought, this index drops to 200 mm per year. The average annual temperature is between 25º C and 30º C. In this region, during the dry season, some areas are hit by strong insolation.
Vegetation
The vegetation of this biome has specific characteristics, such as falling leaves during the dry season. Generally, the trees are short and crooked, and the landscape is composed of shrubs and cactuses. Among the main characteristics is xeromorphism, that is, adaptation of plants for survival in regions with limited availability of water and a dry climate through, for example, water storage mechanisms. Water. Vegetation roots normally cover the ground to capture as much water as possible.
Ground
Caatinga soils range from shallow to moderately deep. They are infertile and generally rich in minerals, but poor in organic matter. They are also sandy and stony, retaining little water. The coloration varies from shades of red to gray color.
Read more:Causes of deforestation in the Caatinga
The vegetation of the Caatinga is characterized by the loss of leaves during the dry season.
4. Atlantic Forest Biome
O Atlantic Forest biome it occupies about 13% of the Brazilian territory and comprises the coastal region of Brazil, ranging from the states of Rio Grande do Norte to Rio Grande do Sul. This biome is composed of varied forest ecosystems and a biodiversity similar to that of the Amazon biome. Today, less than 10% of the native forest remains, which suffers from intense deforestation, responsible for the extinction of several species in this biome.
Fauna and Flora
The fauna of the Atlantic Forest biome is similar to that of the Amazon biome, with approximately 850 species of birds, 370 species of amphibians, 200 species of reptiles, 270 species of mammals and 350 species of fish. About 39% of mammals in this biome are endemic. The main representatives of the fauna are tamarins, anteaters, toucans, ocelots, frogs, jaguars, sloths, among others.
The flora of the Atlantic Forest has approximately 20 thousand species of plants, of which 8 thousand exist in this region alone. About 55% of tree species and 40% of non-tree species are endemic, existing only in this biome. Considered one of the forests with the greatest biodiversity, the Atlantic Forest has the record for woody plants.
Hydrography
The Atlantic Forest comprises the region where seven hydrographic basins that feed from the São Francisco, Paraíba do Sul and Paraná rivers, among others, are located. The waters in this region supply about 110 million Brazilians.
Climate
The Atlantic Forest climate is humid tropical. It has high temperatures, high rainfall and high air humidity, with a shortage of dry periods. Due to its extension, this biome also has climates such as tropical altitude (Southeast Region) and subtropical (Southern Region).
Vegetation
The vegetation of the Atlantic Forest biome is diversified due to its extension. It presents ombrophilous vegetation (broad leaves and perennial vegetation) and seasonal vegetation. It is composed of medium and large trees, whose crowns touch, featuring a continuous formation of forests that can reach up to 60 meters in height.
Ground
The soils that make up the Atlantic Forest are generally shallow and acidic, extremely humid and poor as a result of little solar incidence, which is prevented from reaching the surface due to the arboreal stratum that makes up this biome. The shallow soil depth and high rainfall levels provide erosive processes and landslides in the highest parts.
Read too:How to recover the Atlantic Forest?
The Atlantic Forest vegetation is composed of medium and large trees, which form a continuous forest.
5. Pantanal Biome
O Pantanal biome it is considered one of the largest wetlands in the world, comprising the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. It is the smallest biome in Brazilian territory, occupying about 2% of the national territory. It is a biome with great biodiversity, which has been threatened by human action. This biome is influenced by other biomes, such as the Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.
Fauna and Flora
The fauna of the Pantanal biome has an unusual feature: species from other biomes that are threatened gather in the Pantanal region. Its fauna is composed of 132 species of mammals, 463 species of birds, 113 species of reptiles, 41 species of amphibians and 263 species of fish. The tuiuiú, the marsh deer, the hyacinth macaw, the marsh alligator, among others, stand out in this biome.
The flora of the Pantanal has around two thousand species of plants, according to Embrapa. Many of these species have medicinal purposes. Most of these plants come from other biomes, having, therefore, rare endemic species. Examples of the flora of the Pantanal are: water lily, water hyacinth, orchid, palm, fig tree, among others.
Hydrography
The Pantanal comprises the hydrographic basin of the Paraguay River. The main rivers that feed the region's hydrographic network are: Rio Paraguai, Rio Cuiabá, Rio São Lourenço, Rio Miranda, among others. During the flood period, much of the Pantanal plain is flooded, making the soil unable to absorb all the water.
Climate
The predominant climate in the Pantanal is tropical with continental characteristics. It presents periods of drought and periods of rain. Average temperatures are around 25º C, however there is a large temperature range, with temperatures that can reach maximums of 40º C and minimums close to 0º C.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the Pantanal biome is very diverse due to the great influence of other biomes and also due to the waterlogging of the soil during a period of the year. It is composed of woods, cerrados, savannas, floodable fields (swamps). The course of the rivers has riparian forests (denser forest) that accompany them. Usually, the vegetation is open and varies according to the relief. In wetlands, it is possible to find aquatic species and, rarely, grass mats.
Ground
The soil that constitutes the Pantanal biome originates from the deposition of rock fragments from higher altitude areas. It has low impermeability and reduced fertility. This is because this soil has an excess of water, which makes the decomposition of organic matter difficult. During the dry season, the soils have a kind of sand made up of animal and plant remains, which gives them a little fertility.
Know more:wetland animals
The water lily is a typical species of the Pantanal vegetation.
6. Pampa Biome
The Pampa biome, also known as Campos Sulinos, occupies about 2% of the Brazilian territory, covering the territory of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The name “pampa” has an indigenous origin and designates a flat region. The landscape of this biome is composed mostly of native fields. The Pampa has great biodiversity.
Fauna and Flora
The fauna of the Pampa biome is very diverse, with about 500 species of birds, 100 species of mammals and a wide variety of insects, which contribute to the existence of several species of birds. Approximately 40% of species are endemic. The main representatives of the fauna are rhea, partridge, woodpecker, joão-de-barro, pampas deer, cavy, among others.
The flora of this biome has approximately three thousand plant species, with a predominance of grasses, which reach around 450 species. It is also possible to find legume and cactus species. As main examples of flora, we can mention: fork grass, carpet grass, aloe grass, native clover, native peanut, among others.
Hydrography
The Pampa comprises an area consisting of two hydrographic basins, the Costeira do Sul hydrographic basin and the Rio da Prata hydrographic basin. The main rivers are: Rio Uruguai, Rio Santa Maria, Rio da Prata, Rio Jacuí, Rio Ibicuí and Rio Vacacaí. The hydrography of this biome has a high hydroelectric potential and is extremely navigable.
Climate
The characteristic climate of the Pampa biome is temperate of the cold subtropical type, with average temperatures around 19º C. This biome has a peculiarity: the four seasons are well defined.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the Pampa or Campos Sulinos is basically composed of normally uniform grassland vegetation, such as grasses. Appears a low herbaceous mat that can reach up to 50 centimeters. There are two types of phytophysiognomies: clean fields and dirty fields. Clean fields are characterized by not having shrubs, unlike dirty fields, where these shrubs are found.
Ground
The soils of the Pampa are generally infertile and prone to erosion. Due to the agricultural practice (monoculture) carried out in this area and cattle raising, a large part of this biome was devastated, intensifying the erosion processes, making the soils sandy.
The Pampa Biome is characterized by having undergrowth composed of grasses and shrubs.
By Rafaela Sousa
Graduated in Geography
