The main natural resources of Paraguay are biodiversity, agriculture and livestock, mining, water resources and fishing. This country is located in the central part of South America, specifically north of Argentina, southeast of Bolivia and southwest of Brazil. It has a surface area of 406,752 km², of which 397,302 correspond to land and 9,450 km² to rivers (CIA, 2016)
Its main natural resources are its rivers, wood, and minerals such as iron, gold, magnesium and limestone. While its main environmental problems are deforestation, loss of wetlands and water pollution caused by inappropriate waste disposal methods (CIA, 2016).
Biodiversity
The biodiversity of Paraguay is determined thanks to its wide variety of ecosystems. It is estimated that in the country there may be about 100,000 species of invertebrates, 1,336 of vertebrates, 20 thousand species of plants, 250 species of fish, 150 species of reptiles and between 645 to 685 species of birds (CBD, 2015).
In addition, a total of 85 species of amphibians have been registered (Núñez, 2012) and 162 species of mammals of which 14 are marsupials, 11 species of armadillos, 49 species of bats, 5 species of primates, 4 canines, 8 felines, 5 species of mustelids, 3 species of wild boar, 5 species of deer and 50 species of rodents. (Yahnke et al. 1998)
In Paraguay there are five large natural regions: the dry chaco, the humid chaco, the pantanal, the Cerrado and the high forest of Paraná (Figure 1).
Quebracho (Schinopsis balansae) forests with the presence of plant species such as samu'u (Ceiba insignis) and palo santo (Bulnesia sarmientoi) are common in the dry chaco ecoregion. In this region we find the lowest availability of water in the country (Naumann and Coronel, 2008).
In Chaco Húmedo we find a system of lagoons where it is possible to appreciate a great variety of aquatic birds. The plant species and fauna are associated with the karanday palm groves (Copernicia alba). Currently, this biome is in danger due to the expansion of agricultural activity. (Salas, 2015).
The Cerrado ecoregion is found mainly in Brazil and in a small part of Paraguay. It includes the coexistence of savannas, fields and forests, in the same biome, promoting one of the highest biological diversity indices in the world (Aguiar et al, 2004).
The Atlantic Forest or Paraná Jungle is considered one of the 25 regions of high biodiversity on the planet. However, it is also one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world since it only conserves 7% of its original extension (CBD, 2003).
Only in the period from 1973 to 2000 Paraguay lost almost two thirds of its Atlantic forest as a result of deforestation processes. (Huang et al, 2007).
The Pantanal ecoregion in Paraguay comprises a part of the world's largest wetland located in central South America between Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil with about 140,000 km2.
Here we find a great diversity of fish as well as birds and aquatic plants. (Salas, 2015). The Pantanal has a natural regulatory effect on the discharge of the Paraguay River, one of the main rivers in South America (Quirós et al, 2007).
Figure 1. Ecoregions of Paraguay (Regiane and Vera, 2016)
Agriculture and livestock in Paraguay
According to Gurmendi (2012), agriculture in Paraguay is one of the most economically important activities, since it contributes 14% to GDP.
Agricultural areas comprise 53.8% of the country's area and the main products are cassava, soybeans, sugar cane, wheat, peanuts and cotton (Naumann and Coronel, 2008).
Paraguay is the center of origin for 13 cultivated species of cultural importance. These include: cassava (Manihot esculenta), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), groundnut (A rachis hypogaea), and pineapple (A nanas comosus) (CBD, 2003).
The raising of cattle for meat production represents the main livestock activity, with 9.8 million head (Naumann and Coronel, 2008). The most common breeds of cattle are: Criollo (Bos taurus cattle of Spanish descent), Criollo crossed with Hereford, and crosses of zebu (Bos indicus) (Payne, et al, 1990).
Paraguay's sheep population is small compared to that of neighboring countries. Sheep are typically kept in small herds, less than 200 animals.
The total sheep population is approximately 370,000 and, like the cattle population, it is concentrated in the Eastern Region of the country (Maciel et al. 1996).
Mining
Paraguay's mining sector is one of the ones that contributes the least to GDP with just 0.1%. Paraguay's mineral resources include iron, steel, clays, dolomite, gypsum, kaolin, limestone, magnesium, marble, semi-precious stones, and petroleum derivatives.
Bauxite, diamond, iron, natural gas, niobium, oil, rare earth, titanium, and uranium deposits have also been explored (Gurmendi, 2012).
Water resources
The main source of groundwater is the Guaraní Aquifer, where 90% of the water is drinkable and in some places it has tourism and energy potential, since the water can emerge at temperatures between 33 ° C and 50 ° C (Salas, 2015).
The Paraguay River divides the country into two broad regions, the western and the eastern (Figure 2). The western region in the northwest of the country is hot and dry, becoming more arid towards the Bolivian border; while the eastern region in the east is hot and humid.
Average annual rainfall ranges from 1700 mm per year in the Eastern region to 400 mm per year in the Western region (Maciel et al, 1996).
The waterway is a waterway within the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. It extends from the Port of Cáceres in Brazil to the Port of Nueva Palmira in Uruguay, communicating the territories of the Mercosur countries and the Republic of Bolivia.
This navigation route facilitates the integral development of the region, and serves as a means of transporting merchandise such as soybeans and its derivatives, cotton, sunflower, wheat, flax, iron ore, manganese and other industrial and agro-industrial products (Muñoz, 2012).
However, this project implies a substantial impact on the hydrology and ecology of the Pantanal (Gottgens, 2001).
Fishing
Within the Rivers of Paraguay there are more than 400 registered fish species. Fishing exploitation occurs lightly to moderately compared to other subtropical exploitations, and the catches are mainly of small fish.
However, around 15 species of large fish are the most valued by fishermen (Quirós, et al, 2007).
Figure 2. Rivers of Paraguay (/ ABC color)
References
- Aguiar, LDS, Machado, RB, & Marinho-Filho, J. (2004). A biological diversity do Cerrado. Ecology and Characterization of the Cerrado, 19-42.
- CBD, Convention on Bilogical Diversity, (2003). Strategy and Action Plan - Paraguay (Part III, Spanish version), pp. 6-20.
- CIA, (2016). The world factbook. January 2, 2017, Retrieved from cia.gov.
- Gurmendi, AC (2012). The Mineral Industries of Paraguay and Uruguay. Area Reports: International Review: 2010, International, Latin America and Canada, 3.
- Quirós, R., Bechara, JA, & de Resende, EK (2007). Fish diversity and ecology, habitats and fisheries for the un-dammed riverine axis Paraguay-Parana-Rio de la Plata (Southern South America). Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 10 (2), 187-200.
- Regiane Borsato, Victor R. Vera M. (2016). Eorregions of Paraguay - Definition of Conservation Priorities. Lasting initiative for Earth (LIFE). Version 1. p. Four. Five.
- Salas Dueñas DA (2015), Analysis of the water problem in Paraguay. Mem. Inst. Investig. Science. Health, Vol. 13 (1): 97-103