Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation (Oct 2020)

Biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Campo Rupestre: A road map for the sustainability of the hottest Brazilian biodiversity hotspot

  • G. Wilson Fernandes,
  • Lucas Arantes-Garcia,
  • Milton Barbosa,
  • Newton P.U. Barbosa,
  • Eugênia K.L. Batista,
  • Wallace Beiroz,
  • Fernando M. Resende,
  • Anna Abrahão,
  • Emmanuel D. Almada,
  • Elaine Alves,
  • Natacha J. Alves,
  • Patrícia Angrisano,
  • Montserrat Arista,
  • Juan Arroyo,
  • André Jardim Arruda,
  • Thaise de Oliveira Bahia,
  • Laura Braga,
  • Lílian Brito,
  • Marcos Callisto,
  • Dario Caminha-Paiva,
  • Marília Carvalho,
  • Abel Augusto Conceição,
  • Leda N. Costa,
  • Antonio Cruz,
  • Jessica Cunha-Blum,
  • John Dagevos,
  • Braulio F.S. Dias,
  • Victor D. Pinto,
  • Rodolfo Dirzo,
  • Daniel Quedes Domingos,
  • Lívia Echternacht,
  • Stephannie Fernandes,
  • Jose Eugenio C. Figueira,
  • Cecilia F. Fiorini,
  • Ana Maria Giulietti,
  • Augusto Gomes,
  • Vanessa M. Gomes,
  • Bernardo Gontijo,
  • Fernando Goulart,
  • Tadeu J. Guerra,
  • Patrícia A. Junqueira,
  • Débora Lima-Santos,
  • Julia Marques,
  • Joao Meira-Neto,
  • Deise T.B. Miola,
  • Leonor Patrícia C. Morellato,
  • Daniel Negreiros,
  • Elizabeth Neire,
  • Ana Carolina Neves,
  • Frederico S. Neves,
  • Samuel Novais,
  • Yumi Oki,
  • Elizabeth Oliveira,
  • Rafael S. Oliveira,
  • Marco O. Pivari,
  • Euripedes Pontes Junior,
  • Bernardo D. Ranieri,
  • Rodrigo Pinheiro Ribas,
  • Aldicir Scariot,
  • Carlos E. Schaefer,
  • Letícia Sena,
  • Pedro G. da Silva,
  • Paulo R. Siqueira,
  • Natalia C. Soares,
  • Britaldo Soares-Filho,
  • Ricardo Solar,
  • Marcelo Tabarelli,
  • Rogério Vasconcellos,
  • Evaldo Vilela,
  • Fernando A.O. Silveira

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 4
pp. 213 – 222

Abstract

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Global sustainability rests on a myriad of benefits provided by natural ecosystems that support human livelihoods and well-being, from biodiversity persistence to climate regulation. The undeniable importance of conserving tropical forests has drawn most of the conservation spotlight towards it. However, open ecosystems such as the Brazilian Campo Rupestre (rupestrian grassland), have been historically overlooked despite their high diversity and key associated ecosystem services. We highlight major current threats to the persistence of the Campo Rupestre emphasizing its ecological, social, cultural, geo-environmental, and economic importance. We call attention to the importance of the Campo Rupestre as a reservoir of biodiversity and ecosystem services and offer priority actions that resulted from discussions involving scientists, industry representatives, environmental managers, and other members of civil society. Proposed actions include efforts related to ecological restoration, sustainable ecotourism, protection of traditional ecological knowledge, identification of emerging research questions, and development of tailored public policies. Such issues are integrated into a framework that collectively represents a road map to safeguard the Campo Rupestre from further degradation and steer its historical overexploitation towards sustainable management. Safeguarding the future of non-forest biomes like this poses a challenge to current paradigms of nature conservation. By establishing priorities and guidelines, we propose an actionable plan, which we hope can support informed decision-making policy towards a sustainable use of the Campo Rupestre.

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