Resprouting strategies of three native shrub Cerrado species from a morphoanatomical and chemical perspective

Abstract

This study was carried out in a Cerrado (the largest savanna in the Neotropics) area where pine plantations, introduced in the 1970s, were removed by clear cutting of the trees and burning of the remaining material. After the removal and burning, some native shrub species resprouted. Since resprouting is dependent on buds that can be in the belowground bud-bearing (BBB) organs containing reserves, we selected three resprouting Myrtaceae species for analysis of morphology and anatomy of their BBB organs, to determine which compounds could be accumulated and to investigate the bud protection features. Standard histological techniques were used to analyse the BBB organs. The belowground bud bank at a depth of 10cm was determined. Nonstructural carbohydrates, total phenolics, and flavonoids were quantified on the roots. The large size of BBB organs suggest that these species were present before plantation establishment and survived plantation management treatments. All species produced a large number of axillary buds. All BBB organs exhibited significant lignification and stored starch and phenolic compounds in the parenchyma cells. The protective features and the storage of reserves associated with the bud-bank allowed the survival and subsequent resprouting of these species, contributing to the regeneration of this disturbed area.

Anatomical inferences on aerial bud protection of three Eugenia shrub species from the Cerrado

“…Since then, no fire events have occurred in the sampling site and several species are resprouting from the belowground bud bank (Silva et al . 2020, 2021; Ferraro et al . 2021) and growing.…”

“…The pine trees were clear cut in 2012, followed by fire treatment in 2014 to remove the remaining biomass of both pine needles and seedlings. Since then, no fire events have occurred in the sampling site and several species are resprouting from the belowground bud bank (Silva et al 2020(Silva et al , 2021Ferraro et al 2021) and growing.…”

“…Nonetheless, in domains such as the Cerrado, the world's most species-rich tropical savanna, with high levels of endemism (Simon et al 2009), the allocation of buds occurs mainly in belowground structures (Ottaviani et al 2020). Several strategies have been adopted to restore the aboveground biomass at both community (Pilon et al 2021) and species (Ferraro et al 2021;Silva et al 2021) levels.…”

Seasonality affects the below‐ground bud bank dynamics of the Cerrado

“…The Cerrado hosts a high diversity of below‐ground bud‐bearing organs and xylopodia are one of the most common (Alonso & Machado, 2007; Appezzato‐da‐Glória, 2015; Pausas et al, 2018). Studies regarding below‐ground bud bank size and below‐ground bud‐bearing organ morphology from several species of different taxonomic groups in the Cerrado have been published in the last few years (Silva, Ferraro, et al, 2020, 2021; Ferraro, Silva, et al, 2021; Faleiro et al, 2022). In a recent study with Myrtaceae species from the Cerrado, Silva et al (2021) evaluated a variable number of buds per individual per species, for example, in the xylopodium of Eugenia sellowiana DC., on which more than 1100 buds could be counted.…”

“…Studies regarding below‐ground bud bank size and below‐ground bud‐bearing organ morphology from several species of different taxonomic groups in the Cerrado have been published in the last few years (Silva, Ferraro, et al, 2020, 2021; Ferraro, Silva, et al, 2021; Faleiro et al, 2022). In a recent study with Myrtaceae species from the Cerrado, Silva et al (2021) evaluated a variable number of buds per individual per species, for example, in the xylopodium of Eugenia sellowiana DC., on which more than 1100 buds could be counted. We have shown in a previous study (Ferraro, Fidelis, et al, 2021) that the below‐ground bud banks from the Cerrado might reach an average of 3100 buds m −2 during the rainy season, with predominance of the non‐woody rhizomes from grasses.…”