Biodiversity in the Pantanal Wetland, Brazil.

The Convention on Biological Diversity demands the assessment of biodiversity at both regional and national levels, and the formulation of strategies for conservation. In this sense, the Brazilian Government has organized a National Program of Biological Diversity (PRONABIO), which is developing strategies to present the data collected as well as developing recommendations for the protection of the major national biomes. The Pantanal of Mato Grosso, the world's largest floodplain, is an important Brazilian biome that sustains rich aquatic and terrestrial biota. The quantity of data on the biodiversity of the Pantanal is still scarce. The fragile equilibrium of the Pantanal ecosystems, maintained by the flood-pulse, is threatened by new paradigms in economic politics which lead to changes in landuse practices. This article covers mainly the current state of information on biodiversity in the Pantanal wetlands, its use, and the initiatives of public policies and of the private sector which affect conservation. This evaluation shows that the current studies concerning biodiversity within the Pantanal mostly concern the landscape units which are not seasonally flooded. Such surveys mostly take into account the plant communities, mainly the richness and variety of species. Few studies have charted indexes concerning the diversity of species. There is an array of parasite and vector studies which are not dealt with here. The few existing studies on social use of biodiversity show that the landscape units are differently used by the traditional stakeholders (pantaneiros) who are familiar with the specific conditions of the Pantanal, while new landowners from outside the Pantanal frequently apply non-sustainable practices. It is recommended that a program to study and manage the biodiversity of the Pantanal should include the catchment area. The program should be based on a tripod of research, pilot projects, and training for biodiversity management. Studies and actions should be supported by documents such as “Priority Actions for the Conservation of the Biodiversity of the Cerrado and the Pantanal“ and “Conservation Plan of Upper Paraguay Basin“ (PCBAP 1997 a). Ecological theories appropriate for Pantanal biodiversity management, specific training on biodiversity management, and approaches for pilot projects are suggested