Reserve overview

Approximately 80 per cent of the area of the Reserve is covered with Atlantic Forest. 

Atlantic Forest

These continental forests are similar to those found along the eastern coast of Brazil, but are distinct in that they harbour several endemic subtropical genera and some tropical and cerrado species at the southern edge of their distribution.

These forests are biogeographically interesting due to their affinities with both the tropical forests to the north and also with the temperate forests to the south. 

The Atlantic Forest has been designated a high priority habitat for conservation on a global scale. The Mbaracayú Reserve is the only example of this habitat with effective protection in Paraguay.

Habitat destruction

Atlantic forest

Atlantic Forest © JL Cartes.

The Atlantic Forest is rapidly declining:

  • In 1973, 73.4% of the Atlantic Forest region was covered by forest
  • In 1989 it was reduced to 40.7% 
  • In 2000 it was reduced further down to 24.9% coverage (Huang et al. 2007)

At present the Atlantic forest is reduced to a series of fragmented forest islands. The World Land Trust estimates that less that 7% of the Atlantic Forest is still standing globally and the figure for Paraguay is less that 2%. 

The extent of the Atlantic Forests in Paraguay is so limited that any changes in ecology will potentially have profound effects on the resident biodiversity.

Mbaracayú Reserve and San Rafael National Park are the two most important blocks of this type of forest remaining in the country.

Deforestation in the Atlantic forest region is due to the activities of both small-scale settlers and large landowners, but the majority of forest loss is due to the activities of the latter (Huang et al. 2007).

Non-forested area

Cerrado

Cerrado vegetation © M Velazquez.

The non-forested part of the Reserve consists of savannah vegetation made up of campos cerrados and other types of grasslands.

Cerrado vegetation is represented by a wide range of open woodland, open scrub and grassland forms, but is always found on uplands where the soils are well drained and do not remain waterlogged. In this way it is very different from other grass-dominated vegetation types in South America.

Cerrado is a climax vegetation type and is not maintained by human interference such as annual burning. 

Paraguay is the southern limit for cerrado vegetation, which is largely found in Brazil and to a lesser extent in western Bolivia. In Paraguay, cerrado vegetation is found mostly in the departments of Amambay, Concepción and Canindeyú.

In the Reserve the cerrado represents the most biodiverse habitat, with palms being prominent and an important part of the vegetation.

Wet or semi-flooded grasslands also occur within the limits of the Reserve; here sedges and grasses dominate and the shrubby component of the vegetation is absent.

Glossary

The Atlantic Forest is a terrestrial biome that extends across Brazil Paraguay and Argentina. It contains a high species biodiversity, and its isolation from neighbouring forests means it has many endemic species.

It is now designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, containing a large number of highly endangered species.