Vegetated Earthmounds in Tropical Savannas of Central Brazil: A Synthesis: With Special Reference to the Pantanal do Mato Grosso

The vegetated earthmounds which dot the great expanse of seasonally flooded grassland of the Pantanal do Mato Grosso and other ecosystems of Central Brazil are examined from both abiotic (hydrological/geomorphological action) and biotic perspectives (termite action). The nature of the earthmounds is explained in terms of the competition between savanna woodland (cerrado) and open grassland (campo) communities. The difference in scale evident between micromounds (murundus) and macromounds (capoes) suggests the action of different environmental forces.