Cerrado ecoregions: A spatial framework to assess and prioritize Brazilian savanna environmental diversity for conservation.

The Brazilian Cerrado is the second largest biome in Latin America, extending over more than 200 million ha and hosts some of the most intensive agricultural activities for grain and beef production in the world. Because of the biodiversity richness and high levels of endemism, Cerrado is considered one of world's hotspot for biodiversity conservation. The objectives of this study are three-fold: to present a comprehensive division of Cerrado into different ecoregions that reflect the environmental heterogeneity within the biome; to analyze the ecoregions in terms of biophysical characteristics, protected areas, environmental liability in riparian permanent protection areas along watercourses, and priorities for biodiversity conservation; and to rank the ecoregions in terms of endangerment for biodiversity conservation and restoration.

Fertility and acidity status of latossolos (oxisols) under pasture in the Brazilian Cerrado.

The Cerrado region, with over 50 million hectares of cultivated pasture, provides 55% of Brazilian beef production. Previous investigations have shown that about 70-80% of this pasture is affected by some kind of degradation, leading to low productivity. However, until now, few surveys have been carried out on a regional scale.