There are six major Brazilian (continental) biomes. Biomes are sets of ecosystems (vegetable and animal) with their own biological diversity.
According to the IBGE, in Brazil there are six types of continental biomes and one marine or aquatic biome . What are the Brazilian terrestrial biomes, then?
- amazon
- Cerrado
- caatinga
- Atlantic forest
- Pantanal
- Pampa
Map of Biomes of Brazil
Observe on the map where the Brazilian terrestrial biomes are located.
Terrestrial Biomes of Brazil
Due to its continental dimensions, the country is home to biomes that are as different from each other as tropical forests and dense vegetation. Find out more about this diversity:
Amazon Biome
Amazon Biome: rivers, thick forest and unsurpassed biological diversity
Considered the largest Brazilian Biome and the largest reserve of biological diversity in the world, the Amazon biome corresponds to almost half of the national territory.
It covers the Brazilian states of: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Roraima; part of Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Maranhão and Tocantins.
The climate in this region is hot and humid and its dense vegetation is characterized by the Amazon rainforest with large trees.
Read also :
- animals of the amazon
- Endangered Animals in the Amazon Rainforest
- Amazon Basin
Closed Biome
The Brazilian cerrado is second only to the Amazon in terms of natural diversity
The Cerrado is considered the second largest biome in Brazil in terms of extension. It covers the states of: Maranhão, Federal District, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais and Tocantins. Also, it occupies a small area of six other states.
The predominant climate in the cerrado is seasonal tropical, with periods of rain and drought. Its vegetation is characterized by trees with twisted trunks, grasses and shrubs. In general, the trees are small and sparse.
See also: Animals of the Cerrado
Caatinga Biome
The Xique-xique is a typical cactus of the northeastern caatinga.
The Caatinga occupies a large part of the northeast region of the country. It covers the states of: Ceará, Bahia, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Alagoas and Sergipe.
In addition, there is a presence of this type of biome in small parts of the states of Maranhão and Minas Gerais.
Typical of the semi-arid climate, located in the northeastern hinterland , the caatinga has a medium-sized shrubby vegetation, with twisted branches and leaves adapted for periods of drought. Cactus are characteristic of the Caatinga.
Read more :
- Caatinga climate
- Animals of the Caatinga
- Flora of the Caatinga
- Characteristics of the Caatinga
Atlantic Forest Biome
Waterfalls and water sources are part of the landscape of the Atlantic Forest mountains
The Atlantic Forest occupies the coastline from north to south of the country. Thus, it encompasses the totality of three Brazilian states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina; large part of Paraná and small portions of eleven states.
The predominant climate is humid tropical with high temperatures and rainfall. The vegetation in this biome is marked by the presence of large and medium-sized trees, forming a dense and closed forest.
See also: Animals of the Atlantic Forest
Pantanal Biome
The Jaburu is the symbol tree of the Pantanal
The Pantanal Biome , considered the smallest in the country, covers two Brazilian states, namely: Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.
The predominant climate is continental tropical with high temperatures and rainfall, rainy summer and dry winter.
The vegetation of the Pantanal is marked by grasses, medium-sized trees, low plants and shrubs. The name of this biome refers to the wetlands present, that is, the swamps.
See also: Animals of the Pantanal
Pampa Biome
The Pampa serves as natural pasture for thousands of animals
The Pampa is the only Brazilian biome present in only one federative unit. It occupies more than half of the territory of Rio Grande do Sul.
The climate is subtropical with four well-defined seasons and its vegetation is marked by the presence of grasses, shrubs and small trees.
In addition, this biome is made up of large areas of pasture, where large herds are developed.
See also: Animals of the Pampa
aquatic biomes
Aquatic biomes correspond to freshwater environments (lakes, rivers, streams…) and saltwater environments (seas and oceans). They are as rich in species diversity as terrestrial ones and also need to be conserved.
Most of our planet, more than 70%, is made up of salt water. The marine biome is classified according to the depth of the water and the regions illuminated or not by the sun’s rays.
Freshwater biomes include streams, lakes, ponds, glaciers, underground reservoirs and rivers.
See also: Aquatic ecosystem
Curiosities
- Together, the Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes occupy 100% of eight Brazilian states.
- The Amazon Biome and the Pantanal Biome together occupy more than half of Brazil.
- The largest floodplain in the world is the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
- Currently, the Atlantic Forest corresponds to only 7% of its original area.
