Pantanal Area Research Articles

Joining forces to fight wildfires: Science and management in a protected area of Pantanal, Brazil

In 2020, the world’s largest continuous stretch of wetlands, the Pantanal in South America, recorded its most catastrophic fire season of the last two decades, resulting in severe economic, ecological and health consequences. Regional environmental institutions and communities are taking measures to protect their unique ecosystem, as is the case of the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Sesc Pantanal, a national protected area. The reserve was severely affected by the 2020 wildfires and is now en route to recover and intensify prevention strategies. Here, we employ a state-of-the-art satellite-derived burned area dataset and a global climate reanalysis product to map and assess the incidence and vulnerability of this reserve to its most concerning disturbance: wildfires. We validated the remote-sensed burned area product and found that the product successfully maps the years with higher fire activity. Then, we studied historical occurrences of burned areas within the reserve. The results show large burned areas are uncommon, and highlight the year 2020 as an outlier, when around 65 % of the reserve was burned. Climate trends over the last four decades show increasing temperatures and wind speed, and decreasing relative humidity and precipitation. Fire weather is thus steadily rising, bearing favourable conditions for fire activity over the most critical months of the year. This study provides useful information for fire management decisions within the largest privately held natural reserve in Brazil, and further allows the assessment of the applicability and limitations of large-scale and state-of-the-art products to inform decision-making within protected areas.

Characteristics of extreme meteorological droughts over the Brazilian Pantanal throughout the 21st century

The Brazilian Pantanal is a remarkable ecosystem, encompassing vital aspects such as fish, fruit, and grain production, greenhouse gas emission regulation, temperature and precipitation modulation, and groundwater recharge. However, 2019 and 2020 experienced prolonged and severe drought that profoundly impacted the Pantanal region. Although these impacts are still under review, their effects on wildlife, vegetation, and the local population are undeniable. To enhance our understanding of the magnitude and consequences of the 2019/2020 drought, the present study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of drought occurrences in the Pantanal biome. Utilizing two well-established drought indices, the standard precipitation index (SPI) and the standard precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), we analyzed the available observational data provided by the Climate Research Unit (CRU). Additionally, we endeavored to project droughts throughout the 21st century, thereby facilitating the visualization of potential reoccurrences of hazardous events in the Pantanal area. Two regional climate model (RCM) ensembles, the Eta ensemble (E1) and CORDEX ensemble (E2), along with representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios) were used to project the severity of droughts in the Brazilian Pantanal until 2098/2099. The findings indicate that the hydrological year of 2019/2020 was the driest on record in the Pantanal over the past 80 years. The E1 ensemble did not project such an extreme event, whereas the E2 ensemble forecasted extreme droughts before the 2040s under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Using the SPEI, both ensembles showed similar results, with extreme droughts projected toward the end of the 21st century. Notably, the SPI demonstrated effectiveness in detecting short-term droughts, while the SPEI was more efficient for long-term assessments, projecting extreme drought events for the last two decades. The SPEI, employed with the Eta and CORDEX ensembles, can provide valuable insights into drought projections. Moreover, the potential recurrence of extreme droughts, characterized by significant below-average precipitation spanning vast areas throughout the hydrological year, poses a severe threat to the Pantanal biome in this century.

Stability of bocaiuva (Acrocomia spp.) mass candy stored in different packages

Bocaiuva (Acrocomia spp.) is a fruit native to areas of Cerrado and Pantanal that stands out for its nutritional value, presence of bioactive substances, and high pulp yield. The aim of this study was to develop a mass candy of bocaiuva, characterize it physicochemically, quantify the retention of bioactive substances, evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological stability and sensorial acceptance for up to 120 days, and verify the effect of different types of packages and storage time on the developed product quality. The prepared mass candy was stored in plastic packages of terephthalate polyethene that were transparent and metallized. We have characterized its centesimal composition and microbiological and sensorial stability, evaluating its color, moisture, pH, soluble solids, titrable acidity, retention of ascorbic acid, carotenoids, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity. The results indicated that the bocaiuva mass candy stays stable for physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory parameters over storage and that the metallized polyethene terephthalate package best conserves the bioactive substances.

Environmental and behavioral effects on pregnancy rate of Nellore cows synchronized to fixed-time artificial insemination protocol: multivariate analysis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of behavioral reactivity, body condition score (BCS), corral temperature (CT), difficulty and time of insemination on pregnancy rate of Nellore females raised in the Pantanal area and submitted to a fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol. Thus, 167 females, kept in an extensive grazing system were evaluated. The variables recorded were BCS, escape velocity (EV), CT, insemination difficulty (ID), chute behavior (CB), insemination time (IT) and pregnancy rate. Initially, Fisher's Exact Test was performed to verify differences between expected and observed for BCS, CB, EV, ID, IT and CT, in which the influence of each variable on pregnancy rate was individually analyzed and it was not significant influence of these variables was observed (P<0.05). Subsequently, the result of the pregnancy diagnosis (success = 1 and failure = 0) was used to study the probability of pregnancy. Multivariate analysis was used to assess the influence of several characteristics together on the conception rate, creating different evaluation scenarios. In none of the scenarios extracted from the cluster analysis was there a statistically relevant influence on the number of pregnancies. Under the conditions in which the study was conducted, there was no influence of corral temperature, reactivity, time and difficulty of insemination, body condition score and animal category on pregnancy rate of bovine females submitted to a FTAI protocol.

Who wants to pay for Pantanal? Experiences of payment for environmental services in the preservation of a single biome

Environmental conservation standards in Brazil are insufficient and must be completed by economic instruments, such as Payments for Environmental Services (PESs). These instruments are at initial implementation stage in Pantanal, which is one of the world’s greatest extensions of flooded areas. This biome undergoes increasing pressures for the exploitation of its natural resources. Thus, the objectives of the current research are to investigate PESs in Pantanal and to analyze their potential to be used for environmental protection purposes. Interviews were conducted with political authorities, NGO representatives and professional association members. Four PESs were identified. All counties in Pantanal region receive the Ecological ICMS, which is a percentage of a tax on commerce and services received by the State and redistributed to counties hosting Conservation Units. Another PES, called Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN), enables the exemption of Territorial Tax. Despite protecting 250,000 ha, RPPNs only reach 1.7% of preserved areas in Pantanal. In addition to these PESs, which count on State participation, it was possible to find two mechanisms based on consumers’ participation, organic meat and organic honey production. However, only two producers were certified to produce organic meat and one to produce organic honey. Although PESs are important mechanisms, they play limited role in Pantanal region. PESs between producers and consumers depend on incentive policies and on information about environmental benefits provided to consumers. Ecological ICMS should be subjected to rigorous selection process in choosing who can receive the benefits. Although RPPNs are often used as PESs, their incentives are insufficient and should be improved.

Carbon cycle of native pasture-based beef cattle production systems in the Pantanal area of the Paraguayan Chaco

The objective of the present study was evaluate the carbon cycle in Paraguayan Pantanal area native grassland ecosystems by measuring pasture growth and simulating animal grazing. For this purpose, soil analyzes, annual productivity and forage quality were carried out in 4 agro ecological sites of a 20,000 ha located in Alto Paraguay Department (21º 1' 29.85”S and 58º 17' 38.55” W), from Dec 21, 2019 to Feb 12, 2020. In the selected location was installed an 8 m x 8 m exclusion cage with three treatments (4 m2 subplots), corresponding to cutting intervals (35, 70 and 105 CI days, respectively). The seasonal dry matter (DM) production and the pasture growth rate, adjusted stocking rate at three production levels (50, 70 and 75% breeding rate, respectively), carbon contained in organic matter (OM), root system and aerial biomass accumulated in ground were evaluated. The data were compared using Tukey test with a 5% probability. The emission of greenhouse gases (GG) per head and per ha was simulated and adjusted to breeding livestock to a total area of 6,600 ha and 5,000 grassland ha. The 35 days CI presented 32% higher productivity than 105 days CI in carbon sequestration. The best capture/emission balance per ha was observed in 35 days CI with the 50% breeding rate, producing 1,481 kg of CO2-e ha-1, intensifying and increasing the breeding rate to 75%, the balance decreases to 1,294 kg of CO2-e ha-1. In all cases, livestock in grassland has presented a positive balance when accounting for GG per unit area.

STYLAR MOVEMENT IN Talinum fruticosum (TALINACEAE): CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF THE SPECIES IN POPULATIONS FROM CENTRAL-WEST BRAZIL

In plant species, the movement of reproductive structures can be an adaptive advantage in mating system studies. This phenomenon can promote outcrossing or cause a reduction in intrafloral male-female sexual interference. Consequently, this contributes to the avoidance of self-pollination and/or delayed autonomous self-pollination. The aim of this short communication is to report the results of assessments done in two natural populations of a native species from central-west Brazil that grows spontaneously and sub-spontaneously in opening and ruderal areas of Pantanal. In this study, the movement of the stigma was recorded throughout floral anthesis, and the mating system was determined. Floral measurements such as: flower opening time, pollen viability and the period that the stigma was receptive were also reported. The formation of fruits by spontaneous self-pollination and cross-pollination reinforces the hypothesis that stylar movement in Talinum fruticosum can facilitate or hinder self-pollination in some situations.

Transformers for mapping burned areas in Brazilian Pantanal and Amazon with PlanetScope imagery

Transformers for mapping burned areas in Brazilian Pantanal and Amazon with PlanetScope imagery

Heatwaves and fire in Pantanal: Historical and future perspectives from CORDEX-CORE

The Pantanal biome, at the confluence of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, is the largest continental wetland on the planet and an invaluable reserve of biodiversity. The exceptional 2020 fire season in Pantanal drew particular attention due to the severe wildfires and the catastrophic natural and socio-economic impacts witnessed within the biome. So far, little progress has been made in order to better understand the influence of climate extremes on fire occurrence in Pantanal. Here, we evaluate how extreme hot conditions, through heatwave events, are related to the occurrence and the exacerbation of fires in this region. A historical analysis using a statistical regression model found that heatwaves during the dry season explained 82% of the interannual variability of burned area during the fire season. In a future perspective, an ensemble of CORDEX-CORE simulations assuming different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5), reveal a significant increasing trend in heatwave occurrence over Pantanal. Compared to historical levels, the RCP2.6 scenario leads to more than a doubling in the Pantanal heatwave incidence during the dry season by the second half of the 21st century, followed by a plateauing. Alternatively, RCP8.5 projects a steady increase of heatwave incidence until the end of the century, pointing to a very severe scenario in which heatwave conditions would be observed nearly over all the Pantanal area and during practically all the days of the dry season. Accordingly, favorable conditions for fire spread and consequent large burned areas are expected to occur more often in the future, posing a dramatic short-term threat to the ecosystem if no preservation action is undertaken.

Fires dynamics in the Pantanal: Impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change

Anthropogenic activities responsible for modifying climatic regimes and land use and land cover (LULC) have been altering fire behavior even in regions with natural occurrences, such as the Pantanal. This biome was highlighted in 2020 due to the record number of fire foci and burned areas registered. Thus, this study aimed to understand how changes in LULC and climate affect the spatial, temporal and magnitude dynamics of fire foci. The Earth Trends Modeler (ETM) was used to identify trends in spatiotemporal bases of environmental and climatic variables. No trend was identified in the historical series of precipitation data. However, an increasing trend was observed for evapotranspiration, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and temperature. For soil moisture, a decreasing trend was observed. The comparison between the mean of the historical series and the year 2020 showed that the variables precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and evapotranspiration had atypical behavior. Such behavior may have contributed to creating a drier environment with available combustible material, leading to a record number of burned areas, about three million hectares (248%) higher than the historical average. The 2020 fire foci data were used in two types of spatial statistical analyses: Grouping, showing that 76% of the registered fire foci were at high risk of fire and; Hot and Cold Spots, indicating high concentrations of Hot Spots in the northern region of the Pantanal, close to Cerrado and Amazon biomes agricultural frontier. The results of the Land Change Modeler (LCM) tool evidenced a strong transition potential from the natural vegetation to agriculture and pasture in the eastern region of the Pantanal, indicating that this could be, in the future, a region of high concentration of fire foci and possibly high risk of fire. This tool also allowed the prediction of a scenario for 2030 that showed that if measures for environmental protection and combating fires are not adopted, in this year, 20% of the Pantanal areas will be for agricultural and pasture use. Finally, the results suggest that the advance of agriculture in the Pantanal and changes in climatic and environmental variables boosted the increase in fire foci and burned areas in the year 2020.

Morphological characterization and productivity estimates of Acrocomia totai Mart. (Arecaceae) – a sustainable alternative of extractivism and cultivation

Abstract The Acrocomia totai palm can be found in areas of Cerrado and Pantanal in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Its fruits are used by traditional and rural communities for subsistence or income source. Given the relevance of this genetic resource, we assessed the morphological and agronomic characters and estimated the population density in two physiognomies of the Pantanal. We found variation in all analyzed characters, such as the density of spines on the stipe, coloration of leaves, epicarp and mesocarp. The average number of fruits per bunch was 392.30±134.53, fresh mass (g) of the whole fruit of 15.50±3.87 and, the mesocarp oil content (%) of 14.94±8.06. The population density varied between 48 pls.ha-1 in area of shrubby grassland to 287 pls.ha-1 in open grassland. We estimated yields per hectare of 8.65 t of fruits, 4.77 t of pulp and 270 kg of oil in areas of shrubby grassland and 1.45 t of fruits, 0.8 t of pulp and 50 kg of oil in areas of open grassland. The data demonstrate the potential of profitable exploitation of the species in extractive or cultivation. The variation found can be useful for the genus taxonomy, breeding and conservation programs.

Diversity of insect galls from Mato Grosso State, Brazil: North Pantanal

Abstract: The Pantanal Biome occupies 20% of the Brazilian territory extending its distribution over two Brazilian States, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. This Biome is one of Brazil's poorly known regions concerning insect gall and their interactions with host plants. In this study, we characterized for the first time the gall morphology, identified host plants and the gall makers from an area of Brazilian wetlands from Mato Grosso State, known as Pantanal Matogrossense. We sampled Pantanal Biome areas in Poconé municipality, along the Transpantaneira Road, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, in two expeditions, July 2012 and January 2013, with a total effort of 2 hours. We characterized 91 morphotypes of insect galls in 54 host plant species; 28 gall makers in 24 host plant species; the richest host plant families are Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, and Sapindaceae. Psidium guineense Sw. is the super host species. This area in Pantanal Matogrossense is the second in the richness of gall morphotypes (N=91) and average morphotypes/plant species (1.7), comparing phytophysiognomies. Additionally, 15 plant species are new record as host in galler-host plant interaction in the world. This number represents 30% of the total of host plant species sampled in Poconé. This inventory is new knowledge to the Pantanal Matogrossense and representing a unique testimony of insect-plant interactions consumed by the unprecedented fire that occurred in Pantanal Biome in the dry season of 2020.

Mammal remains in <i>Tyto furcata</i> (Tytonidae: Strigiformes) pellets from Serra do Amolar, Mato Grosso do Sul

Tyto furcata pellets provide important ecological data on its diet, as well as on the preyed mammals. The present study furnishes data on the diet of T. furcata in a Pantanal area, including records of rare mammals species and a variety of preys with different habits, furnishing evidence of the owl foraging areas.

Flood risk assessment and management for urban areas in Brazilian Pantanal using free and open source GIS software

The present work provides city managers a tool to strategically deploy a flood risk assessment and management, with statistical, technological and graphical approaches. For risk assessment, the return period of the years between 1977 and 2017 was analysed, comprising a historical series of 40 years of maximum quotas and maximum flows. Researchers used the QuantumGis 2.18 platform to deploy flood risk mapping. Maps with flood risk levels within the urban area of study are presented, built as 3D models. The calculation of the return period estimation for flood risk is a reliable tool to understand the dynamics of a water body inserted in an urban area. Thus, it is possible to deploy scenarios with statistical background to aid decision making with regard to risk assessment. Technology-based information is key to support decision making, helping cities to raise funds to deploy risk management actions. The use of a free and open source GIS software such as QuantumGis presents a low cost, efficient and interface-friendly platform to solve flood management issues.

Flood risk assessment and management for urban areas in Brazilian Pantanal using free and open source GIS software

The present work provides city managers a tool to strategically deploy a flood risk assessment and management, with statistical, technological and graphical approaches. For risk assessment, the return period of the years between 1977 and 2017 was analysed, comprising a historical series of 40 years of maximum quotas and maximum flows. Researchers used the QuantumGis 2.18 platform to deploy flood risk mapping. Maps with flood risk levels within the urban area of study are presented, built as 3D models. The calculation of the return period estimation for flood risk is a reliable tool to understand the dynamics of a water body inserted in an urban area. Thus, it is possible to deploy scenarios with statistical background to aid decision making with regard to risk assessment. Technology-based information is key to support decision making, helping cities to raise funds to deploy risk management actions. The use of a free and open source GIS software such as QuantumGis presents a low cost, efficient and interface-friendly platform to solve flood management issues.

Escolarização de crianças e adolescentes pantaneiros em tempos de COVID-19

This article analyses the ways in which educators of schools located in the riverside areas of Pantanal in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil) - Escolas das Águas (Schools in riverside areas) - organized themselves to maintain schooling in the period of the pandemic generated by COVID-19. For the development of this work, a qualitative perspective was adopted. Data collection took place with a survey and study of local documentation and open interviews, via WhatsApp application, between April and June 2020, with the school management and teachers from these schools. The analysis of the educational situation was carried out considering the social policies context, which allowed the perception that vulnerable populations may be more fragile in exceptional situations. Education, mediated by Escolas das Águas, was found to be one of the only links between local population and public power. Keywords: Escola das Águas. COVID-19. Pantanal - Mato Grosso do Sul.

The emergence of tolerance of human disturbance in Neotropical birds

AbstractAnimals living close to human settlements more often experience disturbance, but also reduced predation risk. Because an escape response is costly, behavioural adjustments of animals in terms of increased tolerance of humans occurs and is often reported in the literature. However, most such studies have been conducted in and around long-existing cities in Europe and North America, on well-established animal populations. Here, we investigate the degree of tolerance of human disturbance across 132 bird species occurring in disturbed (small farms) and undisturbed (intact wetlands and grasslands) areas in Pantanal, Mato Grosso (Brazil), a region with only a very recent history of human-induced disturbance. We found a clear across-species trend toward higher tolerance of human disturbance in birds near farms when compared with birds in wild areas. Such a flexible and perhaps also rapid emergence of tolerance when facing small-scale and very recent human disturbance presumably involves learning and might be attributed to behavioural plasticity. The ability of birds to modify their degree of tolerance of human disturbance may play a key role in the facilitation of wildlife–human coexistence.

"Defense" injuries in attacks on humans by domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and jaguar (Panthera onca)

This communication describes two attacks by domestic and wild carnivores in Caceres County, localized in the Pantanal area, an extensive flooded plain in Mato Grosso State, Midwest region of Brazil. The first attack took place in an urban area and was caused by a Rottweiler dog (Canis lupus familiaris) created by the family of the victim. Another attack occurred in a rural area, caused by a jaguar (Panthera onca), which was disturbed while feeding, characterizing an unprovoked attack. Both the patients were wounded in the forearm, with different severity of the wounds. The lesions restricted to the forearm were the consequence of the victims using their arms as a shield, featuring the "defense" injuries, but the severity of the wounds were proportional to the strength of the attacking carnivore. Health staffs and emergency centers should be alert for soft tissue and bone injuries in the observed body regions after domestic and wild animal attacks.

Study of water storage variations at the Pantanal wetlands area from GRACE monthly mass grids

Abstract The continental water storage is significantly in-fluenced by wetlands, which are highly affected by climate change and anthropogenic influences. The Pantanal, located in the Paraguay river basin, is one of the world’s largest and most important wetlands because of the environmental biodiversity that represents. The satellite gravity mission GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) provided until 2017 time-variable Earth’s gravity field models that reflected the variations due to mass transport processes-like continental water storage changes-which allowed to study environments such as wetlands, at large spatial scales. The water storage variations for the period 2002-2016, by using monthly land water mass grids of Total Water Storage (TWS) derived from GRACE solutions, were evaluated in the Pantanal area. The capability of the GRACE mission for monitoring this particular environment is analyzed, and the comparison of the water mass changes with rainfall and hydrometric heights data at different stations distributed over the Pantanal region was carried out. Additionally, the correlation between the TWS and river gauge measurements, and the phase differences for these variables, were also evaluated. Results show two distinct zones: high correlations and low phase shifts at the north, and smaller correlation values and consequently significant phase differences towards the south. This situation is mainly related to the hydrogeological domains of the area.

Life history characteristics and recruitment of fish under the effect of different hydrological regimes in a tropical floodplain

With the aim to analyze intra- and interspecific variation in the life history characteristics and recruitment pattern of six fish species, samples were conducted in two different hydrological regime areas of Pantanal (synchronous/Norther and asynchronous/Southern regions - high temperatures and rainfalls are and are not coincident with the flooding period, respectively). In both regions, fish were sampled using sieve net and dragnet along the river and marginal lakes. In the synchronous regime (Cuiaba River), the combined data collected between the years 2005 and 2010 were utilized. In the asynchronous regime (Paraguay River), the collections were made between 2009 and 2011. Length frequency data were used in the FISAT program to estimate the parameters. Four species, in the synchronous regime, reached trend to longer values for the asymptotic length values (L∞) and trend to lower values in growth taxa (k) and mortality (Z), but the outcomes did not demonstrate significant intraspecific variation for L∞ and Z by length classes between the hydrologic regimes (except for Moenkhausia dichroura). The recruitment pattern did not show intra- and interspecific variation between the hydrological regimes, with long period of recruitment and greater pulse for all species between June and August. Thus, the correlation of species recruitment with river level in the asynchronous regime follows the flood pulse concept, where the flooding pulse is the main driving force for production of animal and plant biomass. In contrast, the pattern of recruitment in the synchronous regime follows the hypothesis of the low flow recruitment, where the recruitment is not influenced by flooding, despite the period of high temperature and rainfall being coincident with the period of flooding.