Impact of human drivers (fire, agriculture and grazing) on biodiversity in savannas

• Grant number: 14/50710-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2015
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Agreement: Belmont Forum
• Principal Investigator: Giselda Durigan
• Grantee: Giselda Durigan
• Principal researcher abroad: Jacques Gignoux
• Institution abroad: Institut d’Écologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement de Paris (IEES), France
• Host Institution: Instituto Florestal. Secretaria de Meio Ambiente, Infraestrutura e Logística (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims at buiding biodiversity scenarios for savannas. Savannas are an important ecosystem worldwide (20% of land surfaces), are currently under threat and pose many difficulties in their modelling. Savannas are under the control of climate, but also of fire regime and grazing, which are sometimes more important drivers than climate in shaping ecosystem structure, function and dynamics. The consortium of this project groups ecologists and socioeconomists from 5 continents, spanning ali the diversity of savanna systems worldwide. The project will perform the following tasks: 1. Synthesis of savanna models as a generic conceptual framework for savanna ecosystems. 2. Synthesis of current knowledge on savanna biodiversity. 3. Synthesis of current knowledge on interactions between socioeconomic activities and savanna dynamics in order to select relevant scenarios. 4. Analysis of the decision process in environmental problems. 5. Generation of biodiversity scenarios. 6. Identification of gaps requiring further research. This project is a unique opportunity to group such an expertise on savanna ecosystems and on interaction between science and decision-making. (AU)