Comparative anatomical analysis of Legume trees leaves in relation to fire.

• Grant number: 22/07792-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Aline Redondo Martins
• Grantee: Lucas Baltazar Longhi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The presence of fire occurs on planet Earth from the Silurian period, and since then it has acted as an agent of natural selection in communities of different ecosystems. Savannah environments, territories where grasses and trees coexist, have an unstable dynamics, controlled by several factors, including competition for resources and disturbances, such as fire. Thus, plant species have developed adaptations to survive fires, such as the appearance of specialized underground structures, thicker branches and stems, and increased production of fruits and seeds after the fire. In Brazil, the Cerrado has a wide variety of species belonging to the Fabaceae family, some with adaptations that allow their regrowth and survival in the fire regime. Thus, the objective of this project was to evaluate the anatomical and morphological characteristics of leaves of woody species of the Fabaceae family native to the Cerrado after the controlled fire experiment. To carry out the project, seedlings were grown in a greenhouse for 6 months, to carry out the fire experiment in the field, taking the individuals to the greenhouse for another 6 months. The anatomical analyzes of the leaves will be carried out using the usual techniques of anatomy, being carried out with individuals before the passage of fire, and after six months of the fire experiment. The results will be presented through tables, graphs and image boards.