Choice of Species for Recovering a Degraded Mining Area in the Semiarid Zone of Brasil

Abstract

Human activities are one of the main causes of ecological changes and plant species disappearance in Brazil's semiarid ("caatinga") zone. The primary activities are: the formation of pastures, implementing irrigation projects, the production of energy, overgrazing by livestock, and burning (Queiroz et al. 1992). According to Sá et al. (1994), about two-thirds of the driest area of the semiarid zone of Northeast Brazil has experienced significant degradation and loss of biodiversity. [...]