How often should we burn the Cerrado? the effect of fire frequency on Cerrado communities

• Grant number: 17/22618-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Tomaselli Fidelis
• Grantee: Cassy Anne dos Santos Rodrigues
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/06743-0 - How does fire season affect Cerrado vegetation?, AP.JP

Abstract

Frequency is one of the factors of the fire regime of a vegetation and changes in it can be harmful even for plants and communities adapted to fire. Since the frequency of fires influences its composition, structure and productivity. Therefore, this study seeks to understand the effects of different fire frequencies in the Cerrado community. To do this, floristic inventory and biomass collection will be carried out in areas with different fire histories (> 6 years without burning, burned annually and burned biennially for 5 years ), which will provide the composition, structure and productivity data of the community. Floristic inventories, including cover (%) and height per species, will be performed in 10 1x1m subplots per treatment (10 subplots / treatment, 3 treatments, 4 plots / treatment).It is also intended to evaluate the effects of different frequencies on fire behavior by3propagation rate (m.s-1), fire efficiency (%) and fire intensity (kW.m-1) among other fire parameters.Thus, it is sought to understand the influence and importance of fire frequency in the dynamics and assembly of Cerrado plant communities and in the fire behavior. This should contribute to the development of fire management strategies for the conservation of this ecosystem. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RODRIGUES, Cassy Anne dos Santos. Quantas vezes devemos queimar o Cerrado? O efeito da frequência do fogo em comunidades vegetais de campo sujo de Cerrado. 2019. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" Instituto de Biociências (Campus de Rio Claro)..