The diversity of ecophysiological strategies in a Cerrado herbaceous communities: a case study involving distinct environmental constraints

• Grant number: 13/18049-6
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Young Investigators Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2014 - January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Davi Rodrigo Rossatto
• Grantee: Davi Rodrigo Rossatto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Rosana Marta Kolb ; Silvano Bianco
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/03450-8 - The non-arboreous community of cerrado sensu stricto facing changes in light and litter under tree encroachment: species dynamics, germination and functional responses, BP.DR; 15/21857-2 - Chlorophyll and carotenoid traits and their relationship with foliar morphophysiological parameters of typical Cerrado and denser Cerrado species, BP.IC; 14/15304-8 - Brightness and crown cover effects on herbaceous species gas exchange along a gradient of vegetation, BP.IC

Abstract

The "Cerrado" is a savanna biome which is distributed along a wide geographical range along the Brazilian territory. Its most prominent vegetation type is the cerrado sensu stricto, which consists of a dominant herbaceous layer (rich in herbs and grasses) where woody species occur scattered distributed, possessing different degrees of density. This typical vegetation appears throughout the territorial distribution of the Cerrado, being subject to structural changes according to the degree of density of individual trees. Many typical herbaceous species of savanna formations are supposed to be intolerant to shade, especially when typical Cerrado regions undergoes extensive successional changes due to the increase of arboreal species. This is an important fact especially in marginal areas of Cerrado distribution, where the degree of density of tree species has increased dramatically over the past 40 years. This project aims to study how communities of herbaceous species differ in their structure and species diversity given regional and local variants, especially relative to changes caused by the increase of tree species. Also, it intends to study the functional responses of herbaceous plants against light variations caused by the increase in the density of woody species. It is expected that the results will provide a contribution to the knowledge of the functional adaptations and community structure of herbaceous plants in response to environmental changes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(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)

ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO; FRANCO, AUGUSTO CESAR. Expanding our understanding of leaf functional syndromes in savanna systems: the role of plant growth form. Oecologia, v. 183, n. 4, p. 953-962, APR 2017. (13/18049-6)

SOUZA PINHEIRO, LUIZ FELIPE; KOLB, ROSANA MARTA; ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO. Changes in irradiance and soil properties explain why typical non-arboreal savanna species disappear under tree encroachment. Australian Journal of Botany, v. 64, n. 4, p. 333-341, 2016. (13/18049-6)

ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO; RIGOBELO, EVERLON CID. Tree encroachment into savannas alters soil microbiological and chemical properties facilitating forest expansion. JOURNAL OF FORESTRY RESEARCH, v. 27, n. 5, p. 1047-1054, OCT 2016. (13/18049-6)

SCALON, MARINA CORREA; ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO. Ground layer Cerrado plants sustain higher maximum photosynthetic rates after medium-term fire events. FLORA, v. 285, DEC 2021. (13/18049-6)

ROSSATTO, DAVI R.; KOLB, ROSANA M.; FRANCO, AUGUSTO C.. Leaf anatomy is associated with the type of growth form in Neotropical savanna plants. BOTANY, v. 93, n. 8, p. 507-518, AUG 2015. (13/18049-6, 11/23112-3)

CARLOS, NATALIA APARECIDA; ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO. Leaf traits combinations may explain the occurrence of savanna herbaceous species along a gradient of tree encroachment. THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, v. 29, n. 3, p. 155-163, SEP 2017. (14/15304-8, 13/18049-6)

ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO; DE ARAUJO, PAOLA EDUARDA; PORFIRIO DA SILVA, BIANCA HELENA; FRANCO, AUGUSTO CESAR. Photosynthetic responses of understory savanna plants: Implications for plant persistence in savannas under tree encroachment. FLORA, v. 240, p. 34-39, MAR 2018. (13/18049-6, 15/21857-2)

SOUZA PINHEIRO, LUIZ FELIPE; KOLB, ROSANA MARTA; ROSSATTO, DAVI RODRIGO. Leaf anatomical traits of non-arboreal savanna species along a gradient of tree encroachment. Acta Botanica Brasilica, v. 32, n. 1, p. 28-36, JAN-MAR 2018. (13/18049-6)