The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation

Abstract

The Cerrado is the richest savanna and is undergoing one of the planet’s most rapid land transformations for pasture and agriculture; around 45% of the biome has been deforested. Agriculture is of strategic importance to Brazil, but it also modifies ecosystems and jeopardizes habitats and biodiversity. Well-managed agricultural lands can have a favorable impact on environmental conservation. In this paper, we reviewed our current knowledge about water ecology and fire management to show that an ecosystem services perspective can bring about a conciliation of agriculture production with conservation by supporting effective land use decision-making and the optimization of public policy. The landscape/watershed scale seems to be the most relevant for decision-making on how to achieve production and conservation results. This scale appears to be an appropriate level for engaging with stakeholders. Fire frequency and timing (season) combination are determinant of individuals’ survivorship. The combination determines vegetation recovery, and it is important to maintain high biodiversity, especially for the herbaceous layer, but it is a limitation to woody vegetation recovery. A pragmatic and conciliatory land use agenda must be based on scientific knowledge and support innovative decision-making solutions for policy-makers and stakeholders, particularly farmers and donors.

Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of lizard assemblages across habitats and seasons in a Brazilian Cerrado area

“…Natural wildfires also are influenced by this marked spatial and seasonal heterogeneity throughout Cerrado. Grasslands and savannas are more prone and tolerant to fires, due to greater grass cover and less shrub cover (Hoffmann et al 2012;Schmidt et al 2018), while the occurrence of natural fires in forested habitats is rare (Klink et al 2020). Natural wildfires occur mainly in open formations at the end of the dry season (Klink & Machado 2005;Oliveira et al 2021) when temperatures are higher and precipitation levels are lower (Hoffmann et al 2012;Gomes et al 2020).…”

“…2001; Pinheiro & Durigan 2012; Klink et al . 2020). In addition, seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation promote drastic changes in the Cerrado’s climate throughout the year (Nimer 1989; Silva et al .…”

“…2018), while the occurrence of natural fires in forested habitats is rare (Klink et al . 2020). Natural wildfires occur mainly in open formations at the end of the dry season (Klink & Machado 2005; Oliveira et al .…”

“…In addition, the open formations – which occupy nearly 75% of the Cerrado (Klink et al . 2020) – are considered ancestral habitats (Werneck 2011; Bueno et al . 2017), climatically more stable along evolutionary time than forested formations (Werneck et al .…”

“…a type of grassy savanna locally known as campo sujo) and forested formations (e.g. seasonal semi-deciduous forest) (Batalha et al 2001;Pinheiro & Durigan 2012;Klink et al 2020). In addition, seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation promote drastic changes in the Cerrado's climate throughout the year (Nimer 1989;Silva et al 2008).…”