Challenging the Environmental History of the Cerrado Science, Biodiversity and Politics on the Brazilian Agricultural Frontier

Abstract

This article presents an overview of the environmental history of the Brazilian Cerrado, its environmental characteristics and the processes related to the historical change in the landscapes of this endangered ecosystem. It highlights competing classifications of the Cerrado, the role of politics in establishing them, and the environmental consequences of such classifications. More than just describing an environment, classifying an ecosystem is a political process that involves complex socio-environmental interactions. The sources used points out the different attempts to get to know and "conquered" the Cerrado, bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from a variety of actors and institutions. Historiographic challenges go beyond environmental descriptions in that the socio-environmental interactions that made up this unique ecosystem are equally complex. This paper’s conclusions reinforce the interdisciplinary role of environmental history in the study of ecosystems and the complex relationship between culture and nature.

A Geo-historical Analysis of Expanding Soybean Frontiers in the Brazilian Cerrado

“…Such a scenario permeated the Cerrado until the end of the 1950s when the grain production policy promoted after World War II and the creation of the Federal District of Brasilia in central Brazil encouraged the exploration of the forests of Mato Grosso de Goiás. 23 This era witnessed colonization processes -led by foreign and national actors -towards the areas known as Cerrado stricto sensu, the tropical savannahs. Multiple documents and reports described the difficulties of both Brazilian and foreign farmers in dealing with soil acidity, low fertility, and local climatic patterns.…”

Scavengers flesh flies (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) from two phytophysiognomies in the state of Maranhão, Northeastern of Brazil

“…Brazil is the largest country in South America; hence, it is home to a diverse range of habitats and plant communities, some of which are endemic, such as the Caatinga, an arid ecoregion in Northeastern Brazil (Silva et al 2017, Tabarelli et al 2018. The Cerrado, which is similar to African savannas and has direct contact with other biomes, is one of Brazil's most common vegetation types (Viera et al 2019, Dutra & Silva 2020. The Cerrado has a diverse phytophysiognomy, ranging from more open vegetation types, such as "campo limpo", "campo sujo", and "cerrado" sensu stricto, to more dense vegetation types, such as riparian forests surrounding streams, rivers, and lakes (Werneck 2011, Araújo et al 2016, Rios et al 2016, Eloy et al 2019, Zuin 2020).…”

Colonização no Brasil Central: a fronteira agrícola em Mato Grosso entre as décadas de 1950 a 1970

“…Com base nesse contexto, o presente artigo tem por objetivo apresentar elementos históricos sobre a colonização agrária em Mato Grosso entre as décadas de 1950 a 1970, bem como a sua relação com os processos de expansão da fronteira agrícola em territórios de floresta tropical da Amazonia Legal. Atualmente, o Brasil Central é considerado um dos celeiros do mundo, com significativa produção de grãos (NEHRING, 2016;DUTRA E SILVA, 2020;HUBER, 2020;DORN, 2021). Esse processo de conquista da fronteira tem afetado consideravelmente os biomas Cerrado e Amazônia, que sofrem o impacto direto da expansão avassaladora do cultivo de soja (SILVA, C.; MAJO, 2021;ROCHA et al, no prelo), a qual, por sua vez, pressiona o deslocamento da fronteira do gado para a Amazônia, sobretudo pela valorização fundiária promovida pela expansão da soja.…”