Preliminary Study of Some Vegetation Types of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract
The Pantanal is the region on the Brazil-Bolivia frontier in the Paraguay river basin, that is predominantly but not exclusively covered by various types of swamp vegetation. The vegetation of the area was studied by extensive collecting and through measuring trees on five one-hectare plots of cerrado and semi-deciduous forest. The region consists of various types of swamp, gallery forest, lake margin scrub forest, semi-deciduous forest, and several forms of cerrado and savanna. The vegetation is made up of species derived from the cerrado of Central Brazil, the Chaco and Amazonia. It also includes many widespread but few endemic species. Little vegetation remains undisturbed due to the influence of cattle, fire and man. Good examples of the various vegetation formations can still be found and are in urgent need of conservation.