2.1 Study areas
The Mato Grosso do Sul State, located in Midwestern Brazil, is divided
into two main regions: the floodplains, which encompass the Pantanal
wetlands, and the plateau, which is dominated by the dry, tropical
Cerrado savanna. Most of the Pantanal floodplains is still pristine and
some areas harbor low impact traditional extensive livestock (Harris et
al., 2005).
The plateau region is dominated by Cerrado vegetation, composed of dense
grasslands with sparse shrubs, savanna and woodland areas. Nevertheless,
large portions of the plateau have been modified for economical purposes
(e.g. agriculture and intensive livestock) and native remnants have been
fragmented into small patches (Reynolds et al., 2016). This study has
taken place on both regions of Mato Grosso do Sul state.