Brazil is the largest exporter and second largest producer of soybeans in the world. However, the increase in production has been directly associated to the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. This culture began in the South and moved toward the central region of the country, spreading gradually to its northern part. This growth was mainly based on monoculture properties controlled by large transnational corporations, and has replaced the local biome: the Amazon rainforest. Such fact has worried both public and private entities, since there has been an excessive deforestation and biodiversity loss. This study analyses the advance of soybean in the North of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, in the period 1984-2009, by means of satellite image interpretation. As a result, presents three maps of land use development in the area of study. It is noticed that the recent deforestation was due to the livestock activities and, afterwards, the eroded soil from the open fields and pastures were recovered with the soybean crops. In other words, in the analyzed area, soy plantations were not directly established over the deforested areas, but rather over areas previously degraded by livestock.
Soy; Cattle Raising; Amazon Rainforest; Deforestation
