Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand

Effects of prescribed burning and frost on plant diversity and structure in Cerrado ground layer

Grant number: 16/17888-2
Support Opportunities:Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
Effective date (Start): January 01, 2017
Effective date (End): August 31, 2019
Field of knowledge:Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
Principal Investigator:Giselda Durigan
Grantee:Natashi Aparecida Lima Pilon
Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
Associated scholarship(s):17/20897-6 - The evolution of fire-related plant traits in Cerrado ground-layer and the phylogenetic structure in burnt and non-burnt plant communities, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Fire and frost are important drivers of structure and composition of grasslands and savannas around the world. However, little is known about how plant communities respond to these natural disturbances. This knowledge gap has direct implications for both conservation and restoration of Cerrado vegetation. In this context, this project aims to elucidate the response of plant communities to complete suppression of fire, prescribed burning or frost, targeting plant species occurring in the ground layer. This study will be conducted at the Ecological Station of Santa Barbara, SP, Brazil, where a biomass gradient from open grassland to forest vegetation exists in the preserved Cerrado. The sampling units comprise 480 plots of 1 m² distributed in different sectors of the ecological station, that were sampled in 2015 before fire and in 2016 before frosts. Of the 480 plots, 120 were submitted to controlled burning and 360 will be maintained without fire. Control plots have been monitored every six months over three years. In the burned plots, changes in the plant community were assessed before and after fire, and recovery was monitored every two months over a year. The effects of frosts will be assessed in all control plots, by comparing the community composition before the severe frosts occurred in the winter 2016, just after frosts and two months later. Changes in community structure due to fire suppression, prescribed fire or frosts will be also assessed. All plant species sampled will be categorized according to their response to the disturbance (benefited, indifferent or impaired), in search for functional attributes that explain the persistence of the species in the community. Each species sampled will be characterized by a number of functional traits, in search for functional patterns behind resistance/resilience to fire or frost. Our expectation is that fire suppression results in plant diversity loss, especially for Cerrado endemic species and that controlled burning can maintain or even increase richness of these communities. We expect frosts acting as an abiotic filter favoring frost resistant species, as it has been observed for tree species. Additionally, we expect resistance/resilience to fire or frost related to a set of plant functional traits. We consider that this study has the potential to inform policy and practice of Cerrado management and conservation, as well as to enhance predictive models for the future of savannas in a scenario of climate changes. (AU)

News published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the scholarship:
More itemsLess items
Articles published in other media outlets ( ):
More itemsLess items
VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)
VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)

Scientific publications (12)
(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)
LIMA PILON, NATASHI A.; CAVA, MARIO G. B.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; ROSSATTO, DAVI R.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Effects and response of the Cerrado ground-layer to frost along the canopy cover gradient. Oecologia, v. 200, n. 1-2, p. 9-pg., . (16/17888-2, 17/20897-6)
ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; DURIGAN, GISELDA; MELO, ANTONIO C. G.; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.. Facilitation by isolated trees triggers woody encroachment and a biome shift at the savanna-forest transition. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, v. 58, n. 11, . (16/17888-2)
ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; VASCONCELOS, HERALDO L.; PILON, NATASHI A.; ROSSATTO, DAVI R.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. The biodiversity cost of carbon sequestration in tropical savanna. SCIENCE ADVANCES, v. 3, n. 8, . (16/17888-2)
DURIGAN, GISELDA; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; MARTINS, MARCIO; FIORILLO, BRUNO F.; ANTUNES, ALEXSANDER Z.; CARMIGNOTTO, ANA PAULA; MARAVALHAS, JONAS B.; VIEIRA, JESICA; et al. No Net Loss of Species Diversity After Prescribed Fires in the Brazilian Savanna. FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE, v. 3, . (16/17888-2, 18/14091-1, 15/21259-8)
PILON, NATASHI A. L.; DURIGAN, GISELDA; RICKENBACK, JESS; PENNINGTON, R. TOBY; DEXTER, KYLE G.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; LEHMANN, CAROLINE E. R.. Shade alters savanna grass layer structure and function along a gradient of canopy cover. JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, v. 32, n. 1, . (16/17888-2)
FLAKE, SAMUEL W.; HONDA, ELIANE A.; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Not all trees can make a forest: Tree species composition and competition control forest encroachment in a tropical savanna. JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, v. 110, n. 2, p. 12-pg., . (16/17888-2)
PILON, NATASHI A. L.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Quantifying the short-term flowering after fire in some plant communities of a cerrado grassland. Plant Ecology & Diversity, v. 11, n. 3, p. 259-266, . (16/17888-2)
CAVA, MARIO G. B.; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; RIBEIRO, MILTON CEZAR; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Abandoned pastures cannot spontaneously recover the attributes of old-growth savannas. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, v. 55, n. 3, p. 1164-1172, . (16/17888-2, 13/50421-2, 15/23131-9)
RODRIGUEZ-CUBILLO, DARIO; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Tree height is more important than bark thickness, leaf habit or habitat preference to survive fire in the cerrado of south-east Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE, v. 30, n. 11, . (16/17888-2)
CAVA, MARIO G. B.; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; PRIANTE, CAMILA F.; RIBEIRO, MILTON CEZAR; DURIGAN, GISELDA. The recovery rates of secondary savannas in abandoned pastures are poorly explained by environmental and landscape factors. APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, v. 23, n. 1, . (16/17888-2, 13/50421-2, 15/23131-9)
PASSARETTI, RAQUEL A.; PILON, NATASHI A. L.; DURIGAN, GISELDA. Weed control, large seeds and deep roots: Drivers of success in direct seeding for savanna restoration. APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, v. 23, n. 3, . (17/20897-6, 16/17888-2)
PILON, NATASHI A. L.; CAVA, MARIO G. B.; HOFFMANN, WILLIAM A.; ABREU, RODOLFO C. R.; FIDELIS, ALESSANDRA; DURIGAN, GISELDA. The diversity of post-fire regeneration strategies in the cerrado ground layer. JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, v. 109, n. 1, . (17/20897-6, 16/17888-2)
Academic Publications
(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)
PILON, Natashi Aparecida Lima. Natural disturbances and fire suppression effects on cerrado ground-layer diversity and structure. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia Campinas, SP.

Please report errors in scientific publications list using this form.