[1] The forests are mainly in the north of the state of Mato Grosso, but extend into the southeast of Amazonas, the south of Pará and parts of Tocantins and Maranhão.

The annual floods and periodic fires in the dry season form a complex mosaic of forest, grasslands and transitional vegetation.

It has an extensive region of campos rupestres, an open plant formation subject to drought growing on rocks that do not retain water.

In appearance the campo ruprestre is similar to savanna, but the flora are different with species such as Calea lutea and others that are found in caatinga forest.

[5] The various seasonal habitats support diverse fauna with many endemic species including cayman lizards and colorful butterflies.

The Serra do Cachimbo has an isolated population of caatinga antwren (Herpsilochmus sellowi) and the endemic amphibian Tropidurus insulanus.

[7] The World Wildlife Fund gives the Mato Grosso tropical dry forests ecoregion the status "Vulnerable".

The region has experienced a gold rush, which causes mercury pollution, logging and land clearance for cattle ranching and agriculture.

[3] Global warming will force tropical species to migrate uphill to find areas with suitable temperature and rainfall.

Ecoregions such as the Mato Grosso seasonal forests are extremely vulnerable since the deforested strips create barriers to species migration.