Why preserve the southernmost fields of Brazil?

Abstract

In Brazil, grassland ecosystems of the Pampa are restricted to Rio Grande do Sul State (RS) and constitute the largest temperate natural grassland in the world. There are no recent data to indicate how much of these fields was lost in the state, but excursions made in recent years have pointed to a high conversion of native fields into crops. This situation has alerted to the intensification of biodiversity loss and the biological impoverishment of these fields. In view of the above, this study characterizes plant diversity in fields of the southern and western portion of RS. The study was based on publications of recent years that indicate the problems that effectively threaten this diversity. Pampa fields are natural and have a great diversity, constituting a considerable genetic heritage, ensuring the provision of ecosystem services to human populations. The few bioprospecting studies on species from these fields suggest that much remains to be discovered and that actions need to be taken to inhibit field destruction. These fields have never been treated as priority areas for conservation, but it is our commitment to reverse this transformation and destruction.