A biome can be defined as a large community of life (animal and plant) with specific characteristics. The main Brazilian biomes are: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, Pantanal and Pampa.
Test your knowledge below with 12 questions about the topic and ask your questions with the comments after the feedback.
question 1
Review the statements below and rate them as TRUE or FALSE.
I. A biome is a large ecological area that interconnects life (animal and plant) and is influenced by several factors.
II. A biome is a set of ecosystems characterized mainly by dominant vegetation and characteristic climate.
III. The main Brazilian biomes are: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pampa and Pantanal.
IV. There are no hard limits between one biome and another, but transition areas.
The correct sequence is:
a) F, F, F, F
b) F, F, V, V
c) F, V, V, F
d) V, V, V, V.
Correct alternative: d) V, V, V, V.
A biome can be influenced by several factors, mainly climatic, such as the amount of rainfall and temperature.
The life (animal and plant) of a biome is adapted to the conditions of the environment. A biome has its own diversity, such as vegetation, fauna, climate, relief and characteristic soil.
The transition areas between biomes can be extensive and have components that are part of neighboring biomes.
According to IBGE (2003), the 6 main Brazilian biomes are: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pampa and Pantanal.
question 2
One person decided to take advantage of his vacation and visit six cities to get to know Brazilian biomes up close. The route taken is represented on the map below.
Knowing that the person left Rio Grande do Sul (1) and had as final destination the state of Amazonas (6), the sequence of biomes visited were:
a) Pantanal, Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Pampa and Amazon.
b) Pantanal, Pampa, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon.
c) Pampa, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon.
d) Pampa, Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal and Amazon.
Correct alternative: c) Pampa, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon.
Pampa: is located in 2% of the national territory and covers only one state in the southern region.
Atlantic Forest: occupies a coastal strip in the country, which represents 13% of the territory.
Pantanal: it is present in 2% of the Brazilian territory in two states in the Midwest region: Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.
Cerrado: is located in 24% of the Brazilian territory and is mainly present in the central part of the country.
Caatinga: its extension occupies 10% of the national territory and is located mostly in the Northeast region.
Amazon: occupies 49% of the Brazilian territory and is located mostly in the North region.
question 3
Correctly relate the climate in column I to the respective terrestrial biome in column II.
| Column I | Column II |
|---|---|
| 1. Equatorial |
|
| 2. Tropical Semiarid |
|
| 3. continental tropical |
|
| 4. Subtropical |
|
| 5. seasonal tropical |
|
| 6. wet tropical |
|
The order of climates that correctly fills column II is:
a) 4, 2, 3, 5, 1, 6.
b) 3, 4, 5, 6, 2, 1.
c) 2, 4, 1, 6, 3, 5.
d) 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, 6.
Correct answer: c) 2, 4, 1, 6, 3, 5.
( 2 ) Caatinga has a semi-arid tropical climate, with long periods of drought and high temperatures, where rainfall is scarce and poorly distributed.
( 4 ) Pampa has a subtropical climate, with well-defined four seasons of the year.
( 1 ) Amazon has an equatorial climate, characterized by high temperatures and large rainfall.
( 6 ) Atlantic Forest presents a humid tropical climate, influenced by humid air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean.
( 3 ) Pantanal has a tropical continental climate, with a hot, rainy summer and a cold, dry winter.
( 5 ) Cerrado has a seasonal tropical climate, characterized by a hot climate with rainy and dry periods.
Learn more about Brazilian biomes.
question 4
The Amazon is a biome recognized worldwide for its biodiversity and importance to the planet.
Regarding the Amazon biome, it is INCORRECT to state that:
a) Participates in “environmental services”, such as regulation of rainfall in South America and the global climate;
b) It is a large carbon reserve and fires in the region release greenhouse gases;
c) It is a region with vegetation characteristic of an equatorial climate and the Amazon forest is the largest
rainforest of the world;
d) Deforestation for infrastructure projects, illegal logging and land grabbing are one of the main problems affecting the biome;
e) The Amazon vegetation is divided into three levels: araucaria forest, igapó forest and flooded land forest.
Incorrect alternative: e) Amazonian vegetation is divided into three levels: araucaria forest, igapó forest and flooded land forest.
Vegetation in the Amazon can be classified into three levels according to relief and position in relation to river banks:
Flooded Forest: as it is located in low-lying areas, it can suffer flooding depending on the flooding periods of the rivers.
Igapó forest: regions that are constantly flooded and have plants such as water lilies and bromeliads.
Firm land forest: located in the highest areas, with large trees and does not experience flooding.
Learn more about the biome Amazon.
question 5
The Atlantic Forest is a biome that has suffered constant deforestation since the colonization of Brazil. Its vegetation, for example, has only 7% of the original forest.
Check the alternative that presents the correct statement about the Atlantic Forest.
a) It is a tropical forest and brazilwood is found in all its extension.
b) Since the colonization of the country, the Atlantic Forest has undergone a process of devastation and extraction, even disappearing in various parts of the country.
c) The climate and the low altitude where it is located means that there is no great diversity in the biome.
d) It presents several ecosystems, such as Dense Ombrophilous Forest and Savannah.
Correct alternative: b) Since the colonization of the country, the Atlantic Forest has undergone a process of devastation and extraction, even disappearing in various parts of the country.
The pau-brasil, a characteristic tree of the biome, is threatened with extinction.
Due to the climate and because it exists at different altitudes, it has great biodiversity.
Examples of ecosystems found in the Atlantic Forest are:
- Deciduous Seasonal Forest
- Seasonal Semideciduous Forest
- Dense Ombrophilous Forest
- Open Ombrophilous Forest
- Mixed Ombrophilous Forest
Learn more about the biome Atlantic forest.
question 6
The Cerrado biome is considered, due to its extension, the second largest Brazilian biome and a savannah rich in biodiversity.
About the Cerrado, analyze the statements below.
I. The soil is rich in metals such as iron and aluminum, is very basic and has little organic matter;
II. Its vegetation is dense, characterized by the presence of large trees;
III. Illegal hunting and animal trafficking are problems that affect the biome due to its great diversity;
IV. Its climate is hot and marked by dry and rainy seasons.
They are correct:
a) I and II
b) II and IV
c) III and IV
d) I and III
Correct alternative: c) III and IV.
A chemical characteristic of the cerrado soil is its accentuated acidity and high levels of aluminum, iron and manganese ions.
The Cerrado vegetation is dense, characterized by the presence of shrubs, small trees and grasses.
Learn more about the biome thick.
question 7
The Caatinga occupies a large area in the Northeast region of the country. Regarding the main characteristics of the biome, it is INCORRECT to state that:
a) The biome undergoes short periods of drought and, therefore, its vegetation loses its leaves, its branches become whitish and many plants have thorns;
b) Due to adaptation to climatic conditions, the biome presents xeromorphic plants;
c) The soil is stony and shallow because of the high temperatures and the long periods without rain;
d) The flora of the Caatinga presents typical characteristics for survival in the environment, such as thick tree bark, small leaves and tuberous roots.
Correct alternative: a) The biome undergoes short periods of drought and, as a result, its vegetation loses its leaves, its branches become whitish and many plants have thorns.
The Caatinga is said by many to be similar to the desert, due to the long periods of drought and plants that survive with little water due to the lack of rain.
Learn more about the biome Caatinga.
question 8
The smallest Brazilian biome is located between the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. It has a continental tropical climate and vegetation marked by grasses, medium-sized trees and low-lying plants. It is one of the largest floodplains in the world, being called the “kingdom of waters”.
The biome with these characteristics and which was considered a Biosphere Reserve and World Natural Heritage is:
a) Pampa
b) Pantanal
c) Atlantic Forest
d) Prairie
Correct alternative: b) Pantanal.
The Pantanal tends to accumulate water drained by rivers in the Paraguay Basin, which is why it is one of the largest floodplains on the planet, being one of the greatest ecological assets.
It is the smallest biome in Brazil in terms of land area and a region with many cattle ranches.
Learn more about the biome wetland.
question 9
About the Pampa biome, it is correct to say:
I. It presents vegetation with grasses and small shrubs, characterized by clear fields;
II. It is the most preserved biome in Brazil;
III. It has well-defined seasons and a subtropical climate;
IV. It is present throughout the southern region of Brazil.
Only the options are correct:
a) I and III
b) II and IV
c) III and IV
d) I and II
Correct alternative: a) I and III
The Pampa biome is not the most preserved in Brazil. Deforestation in the biome has causes related to economic activities, such as extensive cattle raising and rice cultivation.
It is the only Brazilian biome present only in one federative unit.
Learn more about the biome pampa.
question 10
(Vunesp) Analyze the statements about Brazilian natural resources and the biomes that aggregate them.
I. In the Amazon, agricultural expansion and the presence of settlements on the banks of new highways do not contribute to forest degradation.
II. The study of the biodiversity of Brazilian biomes can generate wealth and economic growth in the form of new medicines and new sources of biofuel.
III. The cerrado, if properly managed, is ideal for the cultivation of soybeans and for raising cattle and for presenting species trees, shrubs and herbaceous, frequently devastated by fires, is considered as a low-expressive biome in biodiversity.
IV. Deforestation and burning in the Amazon Forest transform fertile soils, rich in humus, into fragile soils and poor in nutrients, making them unsuitable for agriculture.
V. The conservation of areas with native vegetation helps to purify and maintain watercourses, restoring the soil and reducing the impact of climate change.
(Edward O. Wilson. See, Special Edition 40 years, September/2008. Adapted.)
Only the statements are correct
a) I, II and III.
b) III, IV and V.
c) II, IV and V.
d) I, II and IV.
e) II, III and V.
Correct alternative: c) II, IV and V.
Read too: What is biome and types (from Brazil and the planet).
question 11
(FGV) In Brazil there are several biomes and ecosystems rich in animal, plant and micro-organism species. It is the country with the greatest diversity of amphibians in the world: 516 species. It has 522 species of mammals, of which 68 are endemic; 468 reptile species, of which 172 are endemic, and 1622 bird species (one in every six bird species in the world occurs in Brazil).
Adapted from Knowing to conserve: The Protected Areas of the State of São Paulo. Environment Secretariat of the State of São Paulo. 1999, p. 66.
This information on the biogeography of the Brazilian territory allows us to conclude:
a) Brazil has a compromised biodiversity due to the excessive invasion of exotic species, which is demonstrated by the low number of endemic mammal species. This puts native species at risk of extinction, which diminishes our biodiversity.
b) The biodiversity of animal species in Brazil does not correspond to the biodiversity of plant species, which is, in fact, highly threatened by deforestation in the various regions of the country. In contrast, wildlife protection policies have been successful.
c) The condition of high biodiversity in Brazil is not more important because most of our space it is found in the intertropical range, which homogenizes the vegetation cover, reducing the potential for diversity biological.
d) Brazil is a country of biological megadiversity in part thanks to its extension, which covers around 40º of latitude and 40° longitude, which corresponds to multiple environmental conditions, an important factor in determining the biodiversity.
e) Brazil is a country with great biological diversity due, above all, to the engendered conservation policies over the last 40 years, with the creation and consolidation of several conservation units in all biomes of our territory.
Correct alternative: d) Brazil is a country of biological megadiversity in part thanks to its size, which covers around 40º latitude and 40° longitude, which corresponds to multiple environmental conditions, an important factor in determining the biodiversity.
Read too: Biomes of the world
question 12
(UFPR) The Brazilian territory has several biomes, among which the Amazon Forest, the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest stand out. About these biomes, it is CORRECT to state:
a) The Cerrado, which is located in the central region of Brazil, is characterized by being formed in poor and sandy soils and, as a result, is little threatened by agricultural expansion.
b) The Amazon Forest, a formation located notably in Northern Brazil, tends to disappear in the coming decades, given that the deforestation and fires have their high rates year after year, evidencing the absence of public policies aimed at the conservation of that Forest.
c) The Atlantic Forest, a formation that stretched from the northeastern coast to Rio Grande Sul, where most of the largest Brazilian centers are located, was the most the country's deforested area, which is why its remnants were transformed into conservation units, which guarantees the largest extension in preserved areas in Brazil.
d) A common feature among these three biomes is that they all have high biodiversity and the presence of endemic species, showing that they all need to be equally preserved.
e) In Northern Brazil, the excessive urbanization of cities results in deforestation and fires, compromising the conservation of the forest, a fact that often gains great dimension in the press.
Correct alternative: d) A common feature among these three biomes is that they all have a high biodiversity and the presence of endemic species, showing that they all need to be equally preserved.