Open AccessFostering water resource governance and conservation in the Brazilian Cerrado biome
Author(s) -
Latrubesse Edgardo M.,
Arima Eugenio,
Ferreira Manuel E.,
Nogueira Sergio H.,
Wittmann Florian,
Dias Murilo S.,
Dagosta Fernando C. P.,
Bayer Maximiliano
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
conservation science and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2578-4854
DOI - 10.1111/csp2.77
Subject(s) - biome , threatened species , ecosystem , resource (disambiguation) , geography , ecosystem services , vegetation (pathology) , agroforestry , environmental resource management , environmental science , ecology , medicine , computer network , pathology , habitat , computer science , biology
The Brazilian Cerrado, one of the most threatened biomes of our planet, illustrates the challenges and opportunities of reconciling economic development with conservation of land and water ecosystems. Here, we assess the state of the art of and present new information on the impacts of agricultural expansion, dams, and water use, and make recommendations for basin management, conservation, and restoration of water‐related Cerrado ecosystems and rivers. The conservation of the Cerrado requires not only the preservation of remnants of its vegetation but also the ability to keep the hydro‐geomorphological and ecological functionality of its rivers, particularly the Araguaia River, the last large well preserved and unregulated system. If business as usual continues, the Cerrado riverine ecosystems may never rebound.