Serras de Sudeste (English: ''Southeastern Mountain Ranges'') is a

dissected plateau A dissected plateau is a plateau area that has been severely eroded such that the relief is sharp. Such an area may be referred to as mountainous, but dissected plateaus are distinguishable from orogenic mountain belts by the lack of folding, ...

, also named Planalto Dissecado de Sudeste (''Southeastern Dissected Plateau'') or Escudo Sul-Rio-Grandense (''Shield of Rio Grande do Sul''), located in the southeastern portion of Rio Grande do Sul state in southernmost Brazil, near

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

Geography

Topography

This plateau has

hills A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not as ...

and

hillock A hillock or knoll is a small hill,The Free Dictionary
"hillock" entry, retrieved December 18, 2007 ...

s covered by

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...

s, known as ''coxilhas'' (''cuchillas'' in Spanish), whose highest levels do not exceed 600 metres (1,970 feet) in altitude. This plateau was formed in Precambrian time, divided by the Camaquã River in two main units, ''Serra de Herval'' and ''Serra dos Tapes''. This region has a triangular area between the cities of

Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fif ...

Jaguarão Jaguarão () is a municipality in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul located on the shores of the Jaguarão River, bordering Uruguay. It lies a short distance inland from the Mirim Lagoon. Geographical and historical proximity to ...

and

Dom Pedrito Dom Pedrito is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is located at: 30° 58' 58" S 54° 40' 22" W Nearby cities are: Rosário do Sul, São Gabriel, Lavras do Sul, Bagé, Santana do Livramento and República Oriental do Uru ...

, approximately. It is an old plateau, whose tabular relief is preserved only in areas between some rivers. There are three municipalities, in this region, whose their urban areas are situated above 400 metres (1,312 feet) of elevation: Caçapava do Sul, with 444 metres (1,456 feet), Pinheiro Machado, with 436 metres (1,430 feet), and

Encruzilhada do Sul Encruzilhada do Sul is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Climate The climate is Humid subtropical climate, humid subtropical (Köppen climate classification, Köppen: ''Cfa''), with hot summers and mild winters, with rare ...

, with 432 metres (1,417 feet). With an urban area above 300 metres (984 feet) of elevation, there are the municipalities of

Canguçu Canguçu (population: 56,211) is a city in Rio Grande do Sul, south Brazil. East Pomeranian, a dialect of Low German : : : : : (70,000) (30,000) (8,000) , familycolor = Indo-European , fam2 = Germanic , fam3 ...

, with 386 metres (1,266 feet),

Piratini Piratini is a city in the Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world ...

, with 349 metres (1,145 feet), and Santana da Boa Vista, with 306 metres (1,004 feet). One of the highest points in this range of hills is Cerro do Sandi, with an elevation of 510 metres (1,673 feet), located in the municipality of Piratini.

Climate

The climate of this region is subtropical ( ''Cfa''), bordering on an oceanic climate (''Cfb''), with mild to warm summers and cool winters, with frequent frosts and fog. The rainfall is well distributed throughout the year, but occasional droughts can occur and

snow Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...

is uncommon (

snow flurries A snow flurry is a light snowfall that results in little or no snow accumulation. The US National Weather Service defines snow flurries as intermittent light snow that produces no measurable precipitation (trace amounts). In contrast, bursts of s ...

usually occur once or twice a decade). The last significant snowfalls occurred on September 4, 2006, and on September 5, 2008, in some municipalities of the region. The average annual temperature in Serras de Sudeste is between 16 °C (60.8 °F) and 18 °C (64.4 °F), and the average annual precipitation is about 1,400 mm (55.11 in). In the areas above 300 metres (984 feet) of elevation, the hottest month, January, has an average temperature of 21 °C (69.8 °F), and the coldest month, July, has an average of 11 °C (51.8 °F). In the lower areas of this plateau, the hottest month has an average between 22 °C (71.6 °F) and 24 °C (75.2 °F), and the coldest month has an average temperature between 11 °C and 12 °C (53.6 °F).

Vegetation

This plateau is located in the ecoregion of the

Uruguayan savanna The Uruguayan savanna, also known as the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna, is a subtropical grassland and savanna ecoregion which includes all of Uruguay and southernmost Brazil, along with portions of Argentina along the Uruguay River, In Brazil, th ...

, and consists mostly of

s, with low and herbaceous vegetation ( pampa) and areas of palm savanna, gallery forests along rivers, and enclaves of submontane forest. Small groves of cultivated trees by the

silviculture Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests to meet values and needs, specifically timber production. The name comes from the Latin ('forest') and ('growing'). The study of forests and wo ...

( Babylon willow,

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...

cedar Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...

, cypress, acacia, poplar and

platanus ''Platanus'' is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae. All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching in height. All except ...

) and native trees ( Brazilian cherry,

butia ''Butia'' is a genus of palms in the family Arecaceae, native to the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Many species produce edible fruits, which are sometimes used to make alcoholic beverages and other foods. ...

Brazilian pepper ''Schinus terebinthifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to subtropical and tropical South America. Common names include Brazilian peppertree, aroeira, rose pepper, broadleaved pepper tree, ...

, cockspur coral tree and araucaria angustifolia) are also found.

Fauna

Grazing mammals of the hill range include the

Pampas deer The Pampas deer (''Ozotoceros bezoarticus'') is a species of deer that live in the grasslands of South America at low elevations.Geist, Valerius. Deer of the world their evolution, behaviour, and ecology'. Mechanicsburg, Pa: Stackpole Books, 1998 ...

(''Ozotoceros bezoarticus''), the

gray brocket The gray brocket (''Mazama gouazoubira''), also known as the brown brocket, is a species of brocket deer from northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Peru, eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It formerly included the Amazonian br ...

or guazuvirá deer (''Mazama gouazoubira''), the capybara (''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris''), the world's largest living

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

, the

Molina's hog-nosed skunk Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes skunk (''Conepatus chinga''), is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western ...

and the

Pampas fox The Pampas fox (''Lycalopex gymnocercus''), also known as grey pampean fox, Pampas zorro, Azara's fox, or Azara's zorro (in Spanish also called , anglicized as aguarachay, in Portuguese also called ), is a medium-sized zorro, or "false" fox, na ...

(''Lycalopex gymnocercus''), and birds include the

greater rhea The greater rhea (''Rhea americana'') is a species of flightless bird native to eastern South America. Other names for the greater rhea include the grey, common, or American rhea; ema (Portuguese); or ñandú (Guaraní and Spanish). One of two sp ...

(''Rhea americana'') and the red-winged tinamou (''Rhynchotus rufescens''). Jaguars, cougars and ocelots do not exist anymore in this area.

Hydrography

Serras de Sudeste is part of the watershed of the Camaquã River.

Municipalities of the region

* Aceguá * Amaral Ferrador *

Arroio do Padre Arroio do Padre (, Portuguese meaning Priest's Stream) is a Brazilian municipality in the southeastern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its 2020 population was 2,951. Much of the population have Pomeranian origin and are Evangelical Luth ...

Bagé Bagé () is a city located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In 2020, its population was 121,335 in a total area of 4,096 km2. It was the seventeenth largest city in the state according to the 2011 census. The city was founded in 18 ...

* Caçapava do Sul *

Camaquã Camaquã is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The municipality contains part of the Camaquã State Park The Camaquã State Park pt, Parque Estadual do Camaquã is a state park in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. ...

Candiota Candiota is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. As of 2020, the estimated population was 9,647. See also *List of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul References

Municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul {{RioGrandedoS ...

* Capão do Leão * Cerrito * Cerro Grande do Sul * Chuvisca * Cristal *

Dom Feliciano Dom Feliciano is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. As of 2020, it had a population of 15,487 people, of whom 90% are of Polish descent.Dom Pedrito Dom Pedrito is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is located at: 30° 58' 58" S 54° 40' 22" W Nearby cities are: Rosário do Sul, São Gabriel, Lavras do Sul, Bagé, Santana do Livramento and República Oriental do Uru ...

* Herval * Hulha Negra *

Lavras do Sul Lavras do Sul is a Brazilian municipality in the southwestern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is in the Campanha Meridional micro-region and the Sudoeste Rio-Grandense meso-region. The population is 7,444 (2020 est.) in an area of 26 ...

Morro Redondo Morro Redondo (English: ''Rounded Hill'') is a Brazilian municipality in the southern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The population is 6,589 (2020 est.) in an area of 244.65 km². It is located 35 km (21.75 mi) from Pelotas. ...

* Pedras Altas *

Pedro Osório Pedro Osório is a Brazilian municipality in the southeastern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The population is 7,706 (2020 est.) in an area of 608.79 km². The municipality was founded on April 3, 1958 from parts of the municipaliti ...

Pelotas Pelotas () is a Brazilian city and municipality (''município''), the third most populous in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is located 270 km (168 mi) from Porto Alegre, the state's capital city, and 130 km (80.8&n ...

* Pinheiro Machado *

* Santana da Boa Vista *

São Lourenço do Sul São Lourenço do Sul is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The municipality had 43,111 inhabitants in the last Census (2010). Its population in 2020 was estimated in 43,540 inhabitants. It is located at the west bank of ...

* Turuçu

Tourism

This region has been visited by many tourists due to the beautiful rural landscapes, with many

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

s among the hills. The city of

, located in Serras de Sudeste, was the first capital of the

Riograndense Republic The Riograndense Republic, often called the Piratini Republic ( pt, República Rio-Grandense or ), was a ''de facto'' state that seceded from the Empire of Brazil and roughly coincided with the present state of Rio Grande do Sul. It was procl ...

, a former republic in the 19th century.História
Prefeitura Municipal de Piratini (Piratini Town Hall) - Accessed on 26 January, 2017.

Economy

The main economic activities of the region are: agriculture, animal husbandry, mining and

viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...

, with production of wines of high quality, due to the characteristics of the soil and climate. Tourism is also economically significant. The

has had great economic importance, with the afforestation of grasslands with eucalyptus, pine and acacia, utilized in the logging industry.

Highways

There are three federal highways in the region:

BR-116 BR-116 is a federal route of highways of Brazil and the longest highway in the country, with of extension. The road connect Fortaleza, Ceará, one of the largest Northeast Brazil metropolises, to the southern city of Jaguarão, Rio Grande do S ...

, BR-392 and BR-293.

References

Bibliography

External links

*{{in lang, pt}
Imagens da neve em Pinheiro Machado, em 05 de setembro de 2008 (''Photos of the snow in Pinheiro Machado, on September 5, 2008'')
Metsul. Landforms of Rio Grande do Sul Plateaus of Brazil