Threatened Cerrado Ecosystem Demands Immediate Conservation Actions
The rapid degradation of Brazil’s vast Cerrado biome is sounding alarm bells among researchers and conservationists. In a letter published in the journal Nature Sustainability, Brazilian scientists highlight the dire need for more effective actions to address the escalating deforestation of the Cerrado, a unique savanna-like biome. They stress that implementing conservation measures and territorial management plans is crucial, particularly those that create ecological corridors and restore degraded pasturelands.
Covering an immense area of 2 million square kilometers, the Cerrado is South America’s second-largest biome, rivaling the size of Mexico. It boasts the world’s highest level of biodiversity for a savanna, housing over 11,600 native plant species. Additionally, the Cerrado is the source of many vital rivers in Brazil, providing perennial water supplies that sustain the South and Southeast regions.
The Cerrado’s native vegetation has been under siege, with a 16.5% increase in deforestation reported between August 2022 and July 2023, affecting a substantial 6,300 km². These statistics, released on August 3 by Brazil’s National Space Research Institute’s deforestation detection alert system (DETER), mark the worst result since 2017 when data tracking began. Most of the deforestation alerts were concentrated in a region known as MaToPiBa, encompassing parts of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia, where the agricultural frontier is rapidly expanding, accounting for almost 75% of the Cerrado’s deforestation.
In 2022, deforestation had already risen by 25% compared to the previous year, reaching 10,689 km², nearly matching the deforestation in the Amazon during the same period (11,568 km²). This discrepancy, attributed to fewer enforcement actions and profitable agricultural activities on deforested land in the Cerrado, is a cause for concern.
The researchers emphasize that the destruction of Cerrado’s native vegetation has far-reaching consequences, contributing to extreme weather events, altered rainfall patterns, and endangering the viability of multi-cropping systems, ultimately impacting crop yields. This phenomenon threatens the agricultural sector, environmental equilibrium, and food security policies.
The letter, titled “Reverse the Cerrado’s neglect,” calls attention to the fact that the Cerrado has been overlooked in sustainability efforts such as the Amazon Soy Moratorium (ASM). The authors also mention legislative bills before the Brazilian Congress and a new rule by the European Commission, both of which do not protect the Cerrado under the current measures. The researchers argue that the Cerrado risks being relegated to a “sacrifice zone” for agricultural development.
While the Cerrado offers vast potential for agriculture, it is crucial to recognize its environmental significance, including its role in climate regulation, water supply, and carbon storage. The scientists propose strategies that reconcile ecosystem service provision and agricultural production, emphasizing the Cerrado’s importance as an engine of Brazilian agri-environmental capacity.
The authors underscore the need for integrated efforts across different levels of government, increased enforcement of environmental laws, and the involvement of farmers and traditional communities in public policy discussions. They also advocate for compensation mechanisms for conserving native vegetation through payment for environmental services.
Protection of the Cerrado’s natural capital must align with structural policies for educational and technological development, supported by stronger monitoring systems. Only through these concerted efforts can the Cerrado’s unique biodiversity and ecological services be preserved.