Brazil has the largest
biodiversity in the planet, harboring 19% of the species of
all existing plants, being 9,126 endemic.
The brazilian biome is composed by the forests Amazonian and
Atlantic (the world's largest standing tropical rainforest),
the Pantanal (the worlds largest inland wetland), the
Caatinga (semiarid thorn forest), the Cerrado (savannah -
vast tree and scrub woodlands ), the Pampa and more than
7,000 linear Kilometres of costal and marine ecosystems.
Amazon Forest biome
Amazonian Rainforest
The Amazon forest surpasses the limits of the borders of
countries, occupying the Orinoco and Amazonas basins, moving
forward from its tributaries and penetrating to the north in
the countries of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It
reaches the Atlantic, going by the delta of Amazonas,
covering again part of the northeast of Maranhão state with
a characteristic vegetation that will be described below.
Accompanying the rivers, Amazon invades the area of the
plateau, and therefore of savannah; to the west it finds the
Andes in the countries of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and
Colombia.
Savannah biome (Cerrado)
Savannah (Cerrado)
The savannah is located in the areas of the central plateau,
prevailing in Mato Grosso and Goiás, also happening in
Bahia, in Minas Gerais and São Paulo. It occupies around 20%
of the national territory.
Caatinga biome
Caatinga - Dry season
Caatinga - Wet season
Caatinga is a vegetation type whose location is mainly the
Brazilian northeast, but also occurs in the north of Minas
Gerais State. This area is characterized by a semi-arid
climate with irregular rains. It presents two seasons not
very well defined: One hot and dry and the other hot and
wet. When the first rains begin, the vegetation takes
new form and the Caatinga turns a verdant green. Everything
is very different from the characteristic brown of the dry
season.
Atlantic Forest biome
Atlantic Forest
The Atlantic forest is located mainly in the mountainous
areas close to the sea, but it is also found in spaces in
the interior. Its original area extended from the state of
Rio Grande do Norte to the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This
ecosystem has lost area from human occupation since 1500.
The largest preserved areas are in the Serra do Mar (Sea
Mountain) and in the Mantiqueira Mountain (São Paulo, Rio de
Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States), mainly due
to their uneven topography that it difficult for human
occupation. The Atlantic forest has characteristics of
tropical forests. More than 50% of its trees are endemic and
are located no where else. This transforms it into a forest
with the biggest biodiversity on the planet, with larger
diversity than the Amazon. This diversity is a result of the
variety of climate (as will be seen) and to topography that
facilitates rain.
Pampas biome
Pampas
The pampas are also well known as fields. They are open area
covered by grass that are located in the south of Brazil,
and in other countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, etc. The
climate is subtropical, with warm temperatures, and constant
rains with little alteration during the whole year. The soil
in general is good and therefore its use in agriculture is
substantial. The main economic activity, however, is the
cattle raising. In this area is found the best cattle herds
of Brazil. Most of the meats for export leaves the south
fields. The vegetation is almost only composed by grass
while there are found some trees and bushes close to streams
and rivers.
Pantanal biome
Pantanal
This "swampy" plain occupies part of the states of Mato
Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul It is a enclosed by mountains
that hinders water drainage. It is calculated that 60% of
the water that enters the Pantanal evaporates without
leaving its perimeter. It is extremely flat and its altitude
varies between 0 and 200m.
