Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices
The Brazilian savanna, South America’s second-largest biome, is vital to Brazil’s economy but has suffered from environmental degradation due to unregulated agricultural and urban expansion. This study assesses climate change in the biome from 1961 to 2021 using the Köppen climate classification, dr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/849 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849409618574311424 |
|---|---|
| author | Khályta Willy da Silva Soares Rafael Battisti Felipe Puff Dapper Alexson Pantaleão Machado de Carvalho Marcos Vinícius da Silva Jhon Lennon Bezerra da Silva Henrique Fonseca Elias de Oliveira Marcio Mesquita |
| author_facet | Khályta Willy da Silva Soares Rafael Battisti Felipe Puff Dapper Alexson Pantaleão Machado de Carvalho Marcos Vinícius da Silva Jhon Lennon Bezerra da Silva Henrique Fonseca Elias de Oliveira Marcio Mesquita |
| author_sort | Khályta Willy da Silva Soares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Brazilian savanna, South America’s second-largest biome, is vital to Brazil’s economy but has suffered from environmental degradation due to unregulated agricultural and urban expansion. This study assesses climate change in the biome from 1961 to 2021 using the Köppen climate classification, drought indices, historical trend analyses, and the climatological water balance. Fourteen municipalities across the biome were analyzed. According to the Köppen classification, most municipalities were identified as Aw (tropical with dry winters) and Am (tropical monsoon), with Dourados, MS, and Sapezal, MT, alternating between Am and Aw. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) revealed changes in rainfall distribution. The Mann–Kendall test detected rising air temperatures in 13 of the 14 municipalities, with Sen’s slope ranging from 0.0156 to 0.0605 °C per year. Rainfall decreased in seven municipalities, with decreases from −4.54 to −12.77 mm per year. The climatological water balance supported the observed decrease in precipitation. The results indicated a clear warming trend and declining rainfall in most of the Brazilian savanna, highlighting potential challenges for water availability in the face of ongoing climate change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41dc66cb7e854fe4af1b03d645f20a3e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-41dc66cb7e854fe4af1b03d645f20a3e2025-08-20T03:35:27ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-07-0116784910.3390/atmos16070849Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought IndicesKhályta Willy da Silva Soares0Rafael Battisti1Felipe Puff Dapper2Alexson Pantaleão Machado de Carvalho3Marcos Vinícius da Silva4Jhon Lennon Bezerra da Silva5Henrique Fonseca Elias de Oliveira6Marcio Mesquita7Agronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, BrazilAgronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, BrazilAgronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, BrazilAgronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, BrazilCenter for Sciences Chapadinha, Department of Engineering Agricultural, Federal University of Maranhão, BR-222, Chapadinha 65500-000, MA, BrazilCerrado Irrigation Postgraduate Program, Goiano Federal Institute, Ceres 76300-000, GO, BrazilCerrado Irrigation Postgraduate Program, Goiano Federal Institute, Ceres 76300-000, GO, BrazilAgronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, BrazilThe Brazilian savanna, South America’s second-largest biome, is vital to Brazil’s economy but has suffered from environmental degradation due to unregulated agricultural and urban expansion. This study assesses climate change in the biome from 1961 to 2021 using the Köppen climate classification, drought indices, historical trend analyses, and the climatological water balance. Fourteen municipalities across the biome were analyzed. According to the Köppen classification, most municipalities were identified as Aw (tropical with dry winters) and Am (tropical monsoon), with Dourados, MS, and Sapezal, MT, alternating between Am and Aw. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) revealed changes in rainfall distribution. The Mann–Kendall test detected rising air temperatures in 13 of the 14 municipalities, with Sen’s slope ranging from 0.0156 to 0.0605 °C per year. Rainfall decreased in seven municipalities, with decreases from −4.54 to −12.77 mm per year. The climatological water balance supported the observed decrease in precipitation. The results indicated a clear warming trend and declining rainfall in most of the Brazilian savanna, highlighting potential challenges for water availability in the face of ongoing climate change.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/849climate changetemperature trendsrainfall patternwater balance |
| spellingShingle | Khályta Willy da Silva Soares Rafael Battisti Felipe Puff Dapper Alexson Pantaleão Machado de Carvalho Marcos Vinícius da Silva Jhon Lennon Bezerra da Silva Henrique Fonseca Elias de Oliveira Marcio Mesquita Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices Atmosphere climate change temperature trends rainfall pattern water balance |
| title | Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices |
| title_full | Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices |
| title_fullStr | Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices |
| title_short | Shifting Climate Patterns in the Brazilian Savanna Evidenced by the Köppen Classification and Drought Indices |
| title_sort | shifting climate patterns in the brazilian savanna evidenced by the koppen classification and drought indices |
| topic | climate change temperature trends rainfall pattern water balance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/849 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT khalytawillydasilvasoares shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT rafaelbattisti shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT felipepuffdapper shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT alexsonpantaleaomachadodecarvalho shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT marcosviniciusdasilva shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT jhonlennonbezerradasilva shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT henriquefonsecaeliasdeoliveira shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices AT marciomesquita shiftingclimatepatternsinthebraziliansavannaevidencedbythekoppenclassificationanddroughtindices |