Cerrado, sociobiodiversity and health: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

The Cerrado plays a crucial ecological and economic role: it is the most biodiverse savanna in the world, a regulator of water availability, and one of the largest exporters of agricultural commodities such as soy, corn, and cotton. It is home to traditional peoples and communities, such as Indigenous and quilombola communities, who possess ancestral knowledge about its biodiversity. But they are poorly studied and practically ignored by public policies. In the current context of environmental degradation, where the expansion of agriculture threatens the integrity of the Cerrado biome, compromising the health and social reproduction of these communities, it becomes essential to map the knowledge produced in order to support interventions. A bibliometric analysis was employed on a sample of 478 articles (2018-2024), mapping academic production on the socio-biodiversity of the Cerrado, its relationship with the environment and health, identifying trends and research gaps. The results indicate that most scientific production is centered on the themes of ecological dynamics (44%) and impacts of agribusiness (31%), with the health dimension being marginally addressed (6%), especially the health of traditional peoples. We conclude that there is a critical gap in the articulation between socio-biodiversity and health, demanding urgent formulation of public policies that promote cultural preservation and appreciation.