What is a biome?

Obiomecan be defined, according to the IBGE, like "a set of plant and animal life, consisting of the grouping of contiguous vegetation types that can be identified at a regional level, with conditions of similar geology and climate and that, historically, have undergone the same processes of landscape formation, resulting in a diversity of flora and fauna. own.” This term comes from the Greek bio = life and Oma = group or mass and was used for the first time, according to some authors, by Shelford. For others, the term was coined by Clements.

Importance of preservation

There are different biomes in Brazil and in the world, each with its characteristic and sometimes unique species. As it is a natural region that encompasses the entire biodiversity of an area, in addition to providing resources for the region's population, the biomes must be protected and used appropriately.

What can be seen, however, is an uncontrolled growth of big cities, deforestation, advance of agricultural and rural properties in wild areas, in addition to the indiscriminate use of the natural resources of the biomes. While development is necessary, it is important to develop ways for it to take place in a sustainable way. For preservation to take place, some places are protected by law and constitute the

Conservation units.

Brazilian Biomes

In Brazil, according to the Ministry of the Environment, there are six distinct biomes:

The Amazon is the largest Brazilian biome
The Amazon is the largest Brazilian biome

  • Amazon:It is the largest of all Brazilian biomes and encompasses the largest hydrographic basin in the world. In addition to occupying a large territory, it stands out for the number of species, which, according to some authors, is equivalent to the approximately half of all species on the planet.

In addition, it is estimated that the Amazon holds a third of all tropical wood on the planet. It is also known for the large number of insects and the wide variety of monkeys and birds.

  • Caatinga: it is a biome rich in biodiversity and occupies about 11% of the national territory, predominantly in the Northeast region. Its vegetation is characteristic, with succulent and thorny plants, adaptations to the region's dry climate.

  • Thick:It is the second largest biome in South America and stands out for its great endemism (presence of species unique to the region) and rapid loss of vegetation, what made him a hot spot. The Cerrado can be compared to the savannas located in Africa and Australia. The main characteristic of the vegetation in this region are the trees with twisted trunks and thick bark.

The caatinga has vegetation adapted to the dry climate
The caatinga has vegetation adapted to the dry climate

  • Atlantic forest: It consists of several forest formations and some associated ecosystems. Its biodiversity is impressive, even after the biome has been largely fragmented. Some authors indicate, for example, that there are about 20,000 species of plants in the Atlantic Forest, a number higher, for example, than in the whole of Europe. is one of richest areas in biodiversity on the planet and, unfortunately, it is one of the most devastated biomes in the country.

  • Pampa:This biome is restricted to Rio Grande do Sul and is mainly characterized by being formed by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation.

  • Wetland:Even though it is the smallest Brazilian biome, it is one of the the largest wetlands on the planet. It is a linking region between the Cerrado, the Chaco and the Amazon.

ATTENTION: Don't confuse biome with biota. This last term refers only to beings that live in a certain region.


By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/o-que-e/biologia/o-que-e-bioma.htm

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