A new survey carried out by MapBiomas showed that 45.6% of native vegetation in the Pampa biome was occupied by human activity in 2024.
According to the research, the occupied area totaled 8.8 million hectares last year, a growth of 76% since 1985. The main factors are agricultural use, silviculture (forest management), as well as urban and mining areas. Among them, soybean cultivation stands out.
The expansion took place across 3.8 million hectares and mainly affected rural vegetation — typical of the biome.
The loss is equivalent to a 19.4% slice of the biome and represents a 30% drop compared to 1985. The decline presented was considered the largest in the last 40 years among all Brazilian biomes.
According to the data collected, the greatest loss of rural vegetation occurred between 2015 and 2024. Despite this, other biomes such as forests, wetlands and restingas have remained relatively stable over the last four decades.
This level of transformation of the Pampa landscapes, with large accumulated losses of native vegetation, demands reflection on the future of the biome. Native vegetation is important for ecological balance, in addition to protecting the biome against the effects of climate change
Another factor addressed is that the Pampa is the Brazilian biome with the lowest proportion of conservation units in the country. Only 3% of the territory is protected by conservation units.
What is Pampa?
The Pampa biome extends over 83.3 million hectares spread across three countries in South America (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay). More than half are in Argentina, while the rest is divided between Brazil and Uruguay. In Brazilian territory, the biome is restricted to Rio Grande do Sul.
It is characterized by native herbaceous vegetation consisting of a mixture of grasses and herbs. More than 50 species of plants have been found in a single square meter of field. Woody species such as subshrubs and isolated trees may be present, but with low cover.
After the survey released this Thursday (9), , second only to the Atlantic Forest biome.
*Under the supervision of Thiago Félix
