Spatially structured soil properties and climate explain distribution patterns of herbaceous-shrub species in the Cerrado

Amaral, Aryanne Gonçalves; Bijos, Natália Rodrigues; Moser, Pamela; Munhoz, Cássia Beatriz Rodrigues

doi:10.1007/s11258-021-01193-7

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, Aristida riparia is among the top‐selling species for direct seeding, alongside other generalists (Silva et al., 2022), which often dominate these novel communities (Giles et al., 2022; Pilon et al., 2023). In contrast, the specialist Trachypogon spicatus represents a small fraction of the seeds used in restoration (Silva et al., 2022) and hardly establishes after sowing (Pellizzaro et al., 2017; Coutinho et al., 2019), despite being a dominant species that characterizes old‐growth grass communities (Veldman, 2016; Amaral et al., 2022; Antar et al., 2022; Horstmann et al., 2023). These disparities have resulted in restored communities that significantly differ from old‐growth habitats (Giles et al., 2022; Pilon et al., 2023), especially in terms of their resilience to fires since burns negatively affect generalist species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Fire has contrasting effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of Cerrado grasses with differing regenerative strategies

Fontenele,

Miranda

2024

Applied Vegetation Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundCerrado grasses are closely linked to fire, but the mechanisms underlying their responses are poorly understood. Fire affects populations by altering vital rates, and different regenerative strategies likely influence responses as resprouting ability trades off with seeding investment. Specialist grasses mostly occupy old‐growth habitats and rely almost entirely on vegetative regeneration, suggesting potentially higher fire tolerance than habitat generalists that can colonize anthropized and degraded habitats due to high seeding investment. Thus, we explored the effect of fire on one specialist (Trachypogon spicatus) and two generalist (Aristida riparia and Schizachyrium microstachyum) tussock grasses.LocationFrequently burned grassland in Central Brazil.MethodsWe monitored the vital rates of 150 individuals/species in burned (prescribed late‐dry‐season fire) and unburned plots. Survival, resprouting, and reproduction were assessed monthly for six months post‐fire and then again 16 months after fire. Tussocks were measured for size (area of the base) and vegetative height for changes in structure. We collected seed mass, seed fill, and germination rates from the literature.ResultsFire negatively affected the generalist grasses, increasing mortality (+12%), decreasing size (50%), and inhibiting flowering and inflorescence production. The specialist benefited from burns, showing high survival (97%), recovery of pre‐fire structure, and stimulated reproduction. Generalist species had a high investment in seeds (seed fill > 60%; germination > 50%), while the specialist produced empty seeds (88%) with low germination (3%). Size was not related to the probability of survival but significantly increased the reproductive output.ConclusionsResults suggest that the specialist Trachypogon spicatus could persist under very frequent fires (e.g., annual), given its robust fire tolerance and post‐fire recovery. Where this species is a restoration priority, it would likely benefit from techniques that promote vegetative regeneration rather than direct seeding. Contrarily, generalist grasses are less resilient to fires and require longer fire intervals to allow population persistence.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grasses' contribution to abundance, richness, and cover makes them the most important component of the ground layer in Cerrado ecosystems (de Souza et al, 2021;Amaral et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire has contrasting effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of Cerrado grasses with differing regenerative strategies

Fontenele,

Miranda

2024

Applied Vegetation Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our results reinforce the notion that abiotic filtering operates at a fine-scale as a crucial driver of plant communities in the Brazilian Cerrado. Soil attributes are considered key drivers for plant species distribution and community diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado (e.g., Amorim & Batalha 2007, Neri et al 2013, Torres et al 2017, Bueno et al 2018, Amaral et al 2022.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sandy texture may limit the establishment and development of certain species (Abreu et al 2012). For example, many authors recorded lower plant species richness on Arenosols, when compared to Ferrasols (Lindoso et al 2009, Amaral et al 2022. In Arenosols, the low amounts of clay and organic matter reduce the capacity for particle aggregation and nutrient adsorption, making the soil very susceptible to erosion and nutrient loss by leaching (Reatto et al 1998, Spera et al 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil-vegetation relationship in savanic formations of the Jalapão, Brazil

VIANA,

SCHAEFER,

CAMPOS

et al. 2023

An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the influence of fine-scale abiotic filters on plant communities can provide important insights into floristic patterns of the Brazilian Cerrado. We aimed to evaluate the interactions of the soil and the plant community composition with their distribution in different sandy environments of Brazilian Cerrado, the Jalapão region.Eight environments were sampled, each with ten plots of 20 × 50 m. All woody individuals presenting circumference at soil height ≥ 10 cm were sampled. Subplots of 5 × 15 m were demarcated, where woody individuals with a circumference at soil height ≥ 5 and < 10 cm were sampled. Subplots of 2 × 2 m were also demarcated to sample herbaceous individuals. Soil samples varying from 0 to 20 cm of depth were collected for each plot (20 × 50 m). Overall, 20000 individuals that belong to 338 species and 76 families were sampled. The dominant family was Fabaceae. There were significant differences among the environments regarding species richness and soil. The analyzed soils are extremely poor and with a tendency to sandy texture, small chemical and/or physical variations imply differences in the distribution of vegetation. Our study revealed abiotic filters exerted crucial fine-scale effects on plant community in the Jalapão region.

show abstract

“…The year 2016 had the lowest precipitation record in the time series (602 mm), half of the mean annual precipitation estimate (from 2000 to 2020), and this coincided with the lowest levels of richness and diversity. The herbaceous-shrub flora in the Cerrado is strongly linked to climate and soil factors (Amaral et al, 2022), and in the moist grassland, a reduction in the amount of rain directly influences the amount of water in the soil. More observations are necessary to assess whether a permanent change in the annual rain patterns in the region is taking place, and how the vegetation will respond to these changes.…”

Section: Fluctuations In the Plant Community Composition Richness Cov...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Decrease in species richness and diversity, and shrub encroachment in Cerrado grasslands: A 20 years study

Souza

Ferreira

Munhoz

2022

Applied Vegetation Science

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Question:The Cerrado is a global biodiversity hotspot, highly threatened by changes in land use. Alterations in species composition and the colonization of Cerrado grasslands by woody species can lead to long-term changes in these communities. In this study, we investigated changes over 20 years in three grassland areas, in terms of species richness and diversity and growth-form cover, as well as the effects of shrub and grass encroachment on species richness.Location: Cerrado Brazilian savanna, moist grassland and dry shrub grassland. Areas under low and high anthropogenic pressure.Methods: Plant species composition and cover were sampled on seven occasions between the years 2000 and 2020, in permanent line-transects. We compared plant cover, richness, diversity and growth-form cover between the periods for each area.Next, we developed mixed-effect linear models to test whether species richness in grasslands at the latest sampling event was altered by species representing 70% of the species cover at this time.Results: Grasslands located in areas under higher anthropogenic pressure presented reduced richness and diversity, and cover concentrated on a few species of shrubs and large tussock grasses. Moist grassland undergoing encroachment by the native shrub Trembleya parviflora had lost over 50% of its diversity since encroachment. In the same area, a shrub grassland undergoing encroachment by native shrub Raulinoreitzia tremula, three native grass species and one exotic grass presented significantly reduced species richness. The moist grassland in an area under low anthropogenic pressure showed a reordering of the species cover over time, but a decrease in species richness. Conclusion:We observed changes in plant richness, diversity, cover, composition and growth-form cover over a period of 20 years in grassland communities. We found, however, different trajectories in the three grassland areas sampled, mainly due to the encroachment of a few species, leading to floristic homogenization in grasslands located in areas under high anthropogenic pressure.

show abstract

Spatially structured soil properties and climate explain distribution patterns of herbaceous-shrub species in the Cerrado

Cited by 11 publications

References 53 publications

Fire has contrasting effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of Cerrado grasses with differing regenerative strategies

Fire has contrasting effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of Cerrado grasses with differing regenerative strategies

Soil-vegetation relationship in savanic formations of the Jalapão, Brazil

Decrease in species richness and diversity, and shrub encroachment in Cerrado grasslands: A 20 years study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About