This passage provides a detailed account of the historical exploitation and deforestation of various biomes in Brazil. It discusses the impact of European colonization, agricultural cycles, and economic policies on these biomes. It highlights the threat to biodiversity, including numerous species threatened with extinction, due to deforestation and agricultural expansion. The Amazon, in particular, is emphasized as a biome of significant importance and ongoing deforestation, driven by factors like meat and soy production.
1. The name "Brazil" originated from the wood "pau-brasil", a red-colored wood that was abundant in the Atlantic Forest, which is the largest and most biodiverse biome in Brazil .
2. The European invasion of Brazil led to the exploitation of natural resources, particularly the red-colored wood "pau-brasil", which was used for various purposes, including for the extraction of red dye .
3. The Portuguese crown established the Brazilwood Regiment in 1605, a set of laws and norms dictating how much could be extracted from the wood .
4. The occupation and use of land increased after the arrival of the Portuguese, leading to the deforestation of various biomes, including the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado, and the Amazon .
5. The Atlantic Forest, once covering almost a quarter of Brazil, now covers less than an eighth of its original area due to deforestation and habitat destruction .
6. The Amazon, the largest biome in Brazil, is home to a significant number of species, many of which are threatened with extinction due to deforestation .
7. The Cerrado, Brazil's second-largest biome, has also seen substantial deforestation, mainly due to the expansion of agriculture and livestock farming .
8. The Pantanal, a unique biome recognized by UNESCO for its biodiversity, has been under increasing pressure due to agricultural expansion .
9. The Caatinga, a biome characterized by its annual drying and whitening of shrubs and forest areas, is another biome that has seen significant deforestation .
10. The Amazon Forest, despite efforts to reduce deforestation, has seen an increase in deforestation rates since 2019, particularly due to the expansion of soybean and meat production .
11. The destruction of biomes has numerous impacts, including the loss of biodiversity, increased carbon emissions, and changes in the rainfall regime throughout Brazil .
12. The development model based on agriculture has led to Brazil becoming a major exporter of soybeans, coffee, chicken, sugar, and beef, but also resulted in the conversion of almost 82 million hectares of native ecosystems into pastures or cultivation areas from 1985 to 2020 .
13. The soy moratorium, implemented in 2006, led to a significant reduction in soybean planting in deforested areas in the Brazilian Amazon, demonstrating the potential of the right incentive to reduce deforestation .
14. To achieve sustainable development, Brazil needs to propose studies on increasing productivity reconciled with the reduction of Amazonian deforestation, eliminate land grabbing, limit the land available for expansion and agricultural activities, reduce deforestation on private properties, and encourage production in areas that have already been deforested .