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Influence of fire on woody vegetation of savanna and forest formations in the Cerrado biome

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Abstract

Wildfires have environmental, economic, and social impacts, and can shape the landscape and benefit ecosystems such as the Cerrado. This study evaluated the diversity, similarity, and floristic and structural differences of woody savanna and forest formations of the Cerrado, when affected and not affected by fire. Twenty-eight 25–400 m2 plots were randomly allocated and divided into Burnt Cerrado and Unburnt Cerrado, Burnt Forest, and Unburnt Forest, and divided into three levels of inclusion according to diameter class (smaller than 2 cm, 2–5 cm and larger than 5 cm). Species were identified, DBH and height measured, and phytosociological parameters such as volume, diversity, and floristic similarity evaluated. Burnt Cerrado had lower diversity, density, and dominance at all inclusion levels compared to the Unburnt Cerrado, and showed similarities between treatments at the inclusion levels. Burnt Forest had smaller differences in diversity, density, and dominance than Unburnt Forest. Forest formation was similar at level 1 of inclusion and in the total area. However, it was dissimilar at lower levels. The lower density and diversity of species at the lowest levels of inclusion was associated with mortality from fire.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Forest Engineering Department at UFV for the resources and the Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza for funding and availability for the execution of the Project “O impacto do fogo sobre a fauna e flora da RPPN Reserva Natural Serra do Tombador (RNST), Goiás”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, UFV, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil

    Aline das Graças Costa, Fillipe Tamiozzo Pereira Torres, Gumercindo Souza Lima, Fabiano Rodrigues de Melo, Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres, Bruno Leão Said Schettini & Vicente Paulo Santana Neto

  2. Department of Geography, Federal University of Viçosa, UFV, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil

    André Luiz Lopes de Faria

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  1. Aline das Graças Costa
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  2. Fillipe Tamiozzo Pereira Torres
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  4. Fabiano Rodrigues de Melo
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  5. Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres
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Correspondence to Vicente Paulo Santana Neto.

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das Graças Costa, A., Torres, F.T.P., Lima, G.S. et al. Influence of fire on woody vegetation of savanna and forest formations in the Cerrado biome. J. For. Res. 34, 1207–1216 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01573-3

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