Autores: BERGIER, I.; ASSINE, M. L.; ALVES, L. M.; BASTVIKEN, D.; BAYMA-SILVA, G.; BERGIER, I.; BULLER, L. S.; CATALANI, T. G. T.; CAVAZZANA, G. H.; SILVA, J. S. V.; CARVALHO DORES, E. F. G.; MORAES, A.; FREITAS, B. T.; GOULART, T.; GUÉRIN, F.; GUERREIRO, R. L.; KRUSCHE, A.; LASTORIA, G.; MACEDO, H. A.; MARENGO, J. A.; MATTOS, P. P.; MCGLUE, M. M.; MERINO, E. R.; MONTEIRO, H.; OLIVEIRA, G. S.; ORTEGA, E.; PADOVANI, C. R.; PARANHOS-FILHO, A. C.; POTT, A.; PUPIM, F. D. N.; QUAGLIO, F.; RICCOMINI, C.; ROCHE, K. F.; SALIS, S. M.; SAWAKUCHI, H. O.; SILVA, A.; SILVA, A. P. S.; SIMÕES, M. G.; STEVAUX, J. C.; WARREN, L. W.; ZANETTI, M. R.
This book presents the Pantanal wetland in a singular perspective where the reader can envisage changes in the Pantanal landscape under variable lenses of time and space, since its early formation to the actual and likely future states. The book reveals that todays Pantanal is an evolutionary sequence of geologic, ecologic, and more recently manmade events taking place at distinct space-time frequencies. Under this perspective, the notion of preserving the Pantanal wetland as today in the long term is somehow idealistic, as much stronger planetary forces are involved in its dynamics and configuration. Geotectonics and SunEarth interaction largely dictate the rate of drastic environmental changes that eventually disrupt the ecological stability, radically rebuilding the regional landscape as already occurred in the past. Warren et al. (chapter Underneath the Pantanal Wetland: A Deep-Time History of Gondwana Assembly, Climate Change, and the Dawn of Metazoan Life) show that Precambrian rocks that form the hills, locally known as morrarias, register the supercontinent assembling, the origin of metazoans like Cloudina and Corumbella, and past climate changes. On the other hand, at intermediate timescales, the biota-climate system is a major driver reshaping the ecohydrology functioning in the landscape. Assine et al. (chapter Geology and Geomorphology of the Pantanal Basin) provide evidences that the Pantanal is an active sedimentary basin with faults and associated earthquakes that delimit the most flood-prone areas and point that geomorphology is the product of climatic fluctuations and environmental changes that have been occurring since the Late Pleistocene. McGlue et al. (chapter Paleolimnology in the Pantanal: Using Lake Sediment Archives to Track Late Quaternary Environmental Change in the Worlds Largest Neotropical Wetland) suggest that severe widespread drought is the response of the Pantanal to highlatitude glaciation, perhaps due to linkages among effective precipitation, ITCZ position, and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures. Assine et al. (chapter Avulsive Rivers in the Hydrology of the Pantanal Wetland) illustrate that avulsions and bottlenecks dictate geomorphology, hydrodynamics, and the ecohydrology of the Pantanal wetland. The models and evidences presented in chapter Avulsive Rivers in the Hydrology of the Pantanal Wetland is a step further in the comprehension of the Pantanal hydrodynamics. Very recently, in the Anthropocene, short-term timescale changes in ecohydrology and biodiversity are due to both land-use and in course climate change. Chapter Terrestrial and Aquatic Vegetation Diversity of the Pantanal Wetland by Pott and Silva is a comprehensive review of aquatic and terrestrial vegetation diversity in the Pantanal, demonstrating how manmade land-use has been altering the vegetation landscape. Pott and Silva conclude that vegetation is very resilient and flexible and adapts to wet-and-dry seasonal and decadal cycles, including fire, and shall remain diverse as long as the hydrological balance is not disrupted by homogenization toward either an entirely dry or a fully wet system. Bergier et al. (chapter Metabolic Scaling Applied to Native Woody Savanna Species in the Pantanal of Nhecolandia) show for the Nhecolandia subregion how forest biomass allocation, independently of the species, follows the metabolic scaling theory, though close-to-soil groundwater makes the ratio below/above biomass lower than unit probably to cope with evapotranspiration. Still in the Nhecolandia, Bergier et al. (chapter Alkaline Lakes Dynamics in the Nhecolandia Landscape) show that alkaline lakes can be segregated into three ecological functional groups accordingly to their biogeochemistry and greenhouse gas exchanges and that these singular lakes are steadily reducing in area and number likely due to land-use changes in highlands that affect the ecohydrology of the whole Upper Paraguay River Basin. Bergier et al. (chapter Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Paraguay River floodplain (Pantanal) during Episodic Anoxia Events) bring lacking data on methane and carbon dioxide dynamics in the Paraguay River floodplain during the natural and very anoxic dequada or decoada event that develops in variable intensity and magnitude at every annual flood. Regarding human interferences, Dores (chapter Pesticides in the Pantanal) provides a discussion highlighting that agricultural activities occur mainly in the highlands and represent the main source of pesticides to the Pantanal. Nevertheless, although detected with low frequency and relatively low concentrations, pesticides may interfere in the Pantanal ecosystem, and little is known about potential effects, indicating that more research is needed. Buller et al. (chapter Historical Land-use Changes in Sao Gabriel do Oeste at the Upper Taquari River Basin) illustrate that human appropriation of the net primary production in highlands has been improving human development index and economic concentration, although the agribusiness development has diminished ecosystem services and resilience. Buller et al. emphasize that new sustainable design of agroecosystems (integrated croplivestock and forestry) in the Upper Taquari River Basin can maximize and optimize both the sharing of rural productivity and carbon/water regulations that positively reflect to the lowlands of the Pantanal. Cavazanna et al. (chapter Natural and Environmental Vulnerability along the Touristic Estradas Parque Pantanal by GIS Algebraic Mapping) traced the vulnerability of tourism activities in the lowlands (Estradas Parque Pantanal), which is a major economic activity in the region. The Estradas Parque Pantanal is undergoing ecological pressure, which means that further changes applied to the landscape can alter its status to vulnerable. Finally, Marengo et al. (chapter Climate Change Scenarios in the Pantanal) show future scenarios of climate change indicating that by the end of the century temperatures can increase upon to 7C and rainfall can decrease in austral summer and particularly in austral winter seasons. Marengo et al. highlight the relevance of restoring the natural interannual flood pulse dynamics and to improve the resilience of the wetland ecosystems with regard to future climate change risk. In summary, the ability to recognize how those variable processes occurring at different temporal scales and strength dynamically affect the Pantanal wetland opens new opportunities to adaptation strategies for increasing ecosystems resilience by means of the sustainable development in low- and highlands. The Pantanal is a place of changing rivers and public policies must consider this intrinsic dynamism.
Redes Sociais