The conservation function of the Biosphere Reserve: the case of

Espinhaço Mountain Range in Brazil

Yasmine Antonini Federal University of Ouro Preto

Minas Gerais, Brazil

BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF SERRA DO ESPINHAÇO WAS CREATED ON JUNE 2005

MAN AND THE BIOSPHERE PROGRAMME – UNESCO BRAZILIAN ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNMENT NGO’S ACADEMY

THE ESPINHAÇO MOUNTAIN RANGE REPRESENTS THE LARGEST AND MOST CONTINUOUS PRECAMBRIAN OROGENIC BELT OF BRAZIL'S TERRITORY

Along the 1,000 kilometers of the cordillera, alternating elevations with peaks reaching up to 2,017 meters allow for an enormous diversity of climate and rainfall conditions. Temperatures can range from bellow 0o C to more than 3o5 C in a same day

PICTURE OF MIGUEL ANDRADE

EUROPEAN

NATURALISTS

TRAVEL FOR THIS

LANDS

Langsdorff (1816)

Saint Hilaire (1817)

von Martius (1818)

Schwacke (1893)

“Contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variability”

According to the document that supported the creation of the reserve the main goals

Pictures of Miguel Andrade

WHAT LANDSCAPES?

FORESTED

AREAS

GRASLANDS

GEOLOGICAL

FORMATIONS

THIS BEAUTIFUL

LANDSCAPES IMPROVE

THE POTENTIAL FOR

ECOTOURISM

“RUPESTRIAN FIELDS”

WHAT PHYTOPHYSIOGNOMIES?

IRONSTONE OUTCROPS

FOREST

ECOSYSTEMS

ATLANTIC

RAINFOREST

WATER CONSERVATION THE CORDILLERA SEPARATES TWO MAJOR RIVER BASINS: RIO DOCE

AND SAO FRANCISCO

WHAT SPECIES TO CONSERVE?

ENDEMIC

ENDANGERED

538 Plant Species

Threatened

67% Occur on the

rupestrian fields of

Espinhaço

Main actions: list of

endangered species

Establishment of

Natural Reserves to

protection

ENDEMIC AND ENDANGERED

ANIMAL SPECIES

INVERTEBRATES

FROGS AND LIZARDS

BIRDS

ANIMAL RICHNESS

500 BEE SPECIES

309 BIRD SPECIES

69 MAMMALS

58 ANFIBIANS

51 REPTILES

ENDEMIC SPECIES OF FROGS

AND LIZARDS

HOW TO CONSERVE THOSE

SPECIES?

TERRITORY PLANNING

PRIORITIES OF CONSERVATION OF

SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS

PRIORITIES OF CONSERVATION ON

ESPINHAÇO MOUNTAIN RANGE

WE HAVE 69 PROTECTED AREAS NATIONAL PARKS AND STATE PARKS STATE ECOLOGICAL STATIONS BESIDES AREAS CONSIDERED OF SUSTAINABLE USE

RESEARCH EFFORTS ON A REGION OF HIGH BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION INTEREST: THE NATIONAL PARK OF SERRA DO CIPO

MADEIRA, ET AL 2008, MEGADIVERSIDADE,4(1-2)

PTERIDOFITES MONOCOTS

DICOTS INVERTEBRATES

BIRDS ANFIBIANS

REPTILES MAMMALS

MAJOR IMPACTS

MINNING

MAJOR IMPACTS

AGRICULTURAL

URBANIZATION

FIRE FOR LAND

CLEANNING

SUPPORT