Climate change reflected in one of the largest wetlands in the world: an overview of the Northern Pantanal water regime

Abstract

The dynamics of Pantanal is totally influenced by the flood pulse, which is, in part, a consequence of rainfall regime from the Amazon in the direction to the headlands and the lowlands where the water is retained, and the flood plain is formed. The impacts of climate change have not yet been measured for the Northern Pantanal (Pantanal of Cáceres), where it is the gateway to most Pantanal waters. Here, we have used rainfall, hydrology, and satellite imagery data to ascertain the possible rainfall patterns, water retention, and level of the Paraguay River over the past decades. Although a well-defined water pulse is found in the Northern Pantanal, over a 42-year historical series the number of days without precipitation has greatly increased, as well the loss of water mass in the landscape over the last 10 years specifically in during the drought season. Overall, nowadays the Northern Pantanal has 13% more days without rain than in the 60’s, and the water mass is 16% less during the drought season considering the last 10 years. These results show that nowadays the Pantanal is losing water and experiencing a more severe drought season than in the past. Regarding the physicochemical and biological cycles of the ecosystem, these changes can result in the loss of biodiversity, as well as the loss of ecosystem services, intrinsically linked to the flood pulse. Given that these losses have been aggravated by anthropogenic pressures (e.g. deforestation, erosion, hydroelectric power stations), the drafting of strategic plans for safeguarding wildlife and human populations, as well as agriculture, cattle raising, fisheries and the preservation of the people’s lifestyle in the Pantanal must be urgently implemented.

Dimensions of the 2020 wildfire catastrophe in the Pantanal wetland: the case of the municipality of Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil

“…The temporal displacement of precipitation, starting later and ending earlier, with some places indicating a reduction in rainfall, was observed from the south of the Amazon Forest to the Pantanal (Debortoli et al, 2012). Likewise, a reduction in the water mass in the Pantanal was also recorded (Lázaro et al 2020;MapBiomas, 2021). A study of MapBiomas (2021) indicated that, from 1985 to 2020, the Pantanal had a 68% reduction of its water surface, and that Poconé was the fourth municipality in Brazil in the proportion of lost water surface in the past 30 years.…”

Editorial: Freshwater sustainability and aquatic ecology in a fast-changing world

“…This is true for Pantanal, Earth's largest wetland. Focusing on Northern Pantanal, Lázaro et al (2020) discussed the consequences of an increase in the number of dry days over a timeseries of 42 years. According to them, the Northern Pantanal had an increase in 13% of dry days and a loss in the water mass of about 16% considering the past 10 years.…”

Wildfires Disproportionately Affected Jaguars in the Pantanal

“…In fact, permanent fire brigades have been established, and an animal rescue centre is under construction in response to the effects of the recent extensive fires in the Pantanal. Although actions are underway at local levels, the warming and drying trend 19,21,34,35 is also a combination of global warming 34,36 and rapid land-use changes 15,25,42 (SI_Figs.S5), with cumulative impacts in the UPRB and Pantanal wetlands (SI_Fig.S1). Therefore, the immediate reduction of deforestation in the Amazon and Pantanal and the establishment of a forest restoration plan in the UPRB are critical.…”