Why is Brazil’s Pantanal breaking wildfire records? It has lost the most water since 1985, says study
- July 5, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
Why is Brazil’s Pantanal breaking wildfire records? It has lost the most water since 1985, says study
Sub: Geography
Sec: Mapping
About Pantanal:
- It is the world’s largest freshwater tropical wetland, located in South America
- The Pantanal spans over 179,000 sq km in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia and boasts.
- It is one of Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems and one of the highest concentrations of flora and fauna in South America.
- Amazon rainforest located to its north
- The headwaters of the region’s two major river systems, the Cuiabá and the Paraguay rivers, are located here,
- Some of the Pantanal’s most lively inhabitants include jaguars, giant anteaters, piranha, howler and capuchin monkeys, and green anacondas—the world’s largest snakes
- unlike the Amazon, where the thick jungle obscures the view, the Pantanal is such an open environment
- Part of the Pantanal is UNESCO World Heritage site
Record Wildfires in the Pantanal:
- The Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland, experienced unprecedented wildfires this year, setting January-June records.
- Fires are primarily due to significant water loss; 2023 saw a 61% reduction in annual water surface compared to historical averages.
- Only 2.6% of the Pantanal was covered by water last year, a significant decrease from previous years.
- 2024 has seen peak drought conditions with no flood peaks, making fires difficult to control.
Impact on Biodiversity:
- Fires in the Pantanal have increased over tenfold compared to last year, with fears of another record-breaking fire year.
- The Pantanal is home to significant biodiversity, including caiman, capybara, and the highest density of jaguars.
Water Surface Reductions in Other Biomes:
- The Amazon: Water surface was reduced by 3.3 million hectares in 2023, suffering a severe drought that caused isolation of populations and deaths of aquatic species.
- The Pampa (The grasslands that cover a large area in southern Brazil, northern Argentina and Uruguay): Water surface area of reservoirs was 40% below average.
Positive News from the Cerrado:
- Cerrado is a vast area of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil.
- The core areas of the Cerrado biome are the Brazilian highlands – the Planalto.
- The Cerrado saw its largest water surface since 1985, totalling 1.6 million hectares, 11% above historical averages.
- The increase occurred in anthropogenic areas, though natural water bodies lost surface area.
Overall Water Coverage in Brazil:
- In 2023, water covered 18.3 million hectares of Brazil, 2% of the national territory.
- This represents a 1.5% decrease compared to historical averages, with a loss of water every month compared to 2022.
Source: DTE