The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation
The Cerrado is the richest savanna and is undergoing one of the planet’s most rapid land transformations for pasture and agriculture; around 45% of the biome has been deforested. Agriculture is of strategic importance to Brazil, but it also modifies ecosystems and jeopardizes habitats and biodiversi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1803 |
| _version_ | 1797544154776993792 |
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| author | Carlos A. Klink Margarete N. Sato Giovanna G. Cordeiro Maria Inês M. Ramos |
| author_facet | Carlos A. Klink Margarete N. Sato Giovanna G. Cordeiro Maria Inês M. Ramos |
| author_sort | Carlos A. Klink |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Cerrado is the richest savanna and is undergoing one of the planet’s most rapid land transformations for pasture and agriculture; around 45% of the biome has been deforested. Agriculture is of strategic importance to Brazil, but it also modifies ecosystems and jeopardizes habitats and biodiversity. Well-managed agricultural lands can have a favorable impact on environmental conservation. In this paper, we reviewed our current knowledge about water ecology and fire management to show that an ecosystem services perspective can bring about a conciliation of agriculture production with conservation by supporting effective land use decision-making and the optimization of public policy. The landscape/watershed scale seems to be the most relevant for decision-making on how to achieve production and conservation results. This scale appears to be an appropriate level for engaging with stakeholders. Fire frequency and timing (season) combination are determinant of individuals’ survivorship. The combination determines vegetation recovery, and it is important to maintain high biodiversity, especially for the herbaceous layer, but it is a limitation to woody vegetation recovery. A pragmatic and conciliatory land use agenda must be based on scientific knowledge and support innovative decision-making solutions for policy-makers and stakeholders, particularly farmers and donors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:56:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a316d2123da84c20ae5cfdfd9bd2c6c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:56:25Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-a316d2123da84c20ae5cfdfd9bd2c6c52023-11-21T01:36:19ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-12-01912180310.3390/plants9121803The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and ConservationCarlos A. Klink0Margarete N. Sato1Giovanna G. Cordeiro2Maria Inês M. Ramos3Department of Ecology, University of Brasilia (UnB), 70910-900 Brasília, BrazilDepartment of Ecology, University of Brasilia (UnB), 70910-900 Brasília, BrazilDepartment of Ecology, University of Brasilia (UnB), 70910-900 Brasília, BrazilDepartment of Ecology, University of Brasilia (UnB), 70910-900 Brasília, BrazilThe Cerrado is the richest savanna and is undergoing one of the planet’s most rapid land transformations for pasture and agriculture; around 45% of the biome has been deforested. Agriculture is of strategic importance to Brazil, but it also modifies ecosystems and jeopardizes habitats and biodiversity. Well-managed agricultural lands can have a favorable impact on environmental conservation. In this paper, we reviewed our current knowledge about water ecology and fire management to show that an ecosystem services perspective can bring about a conciliation of agriculture production with conservation by supporting effective land use decision-making and the optimization of public policy. The landscape/watershed scale seems to be the most relevant for decision-making on how to achieve production and conservation results. This scale appears to be an appropriate level for engaging with stakeholders. Fire frequency and timing (season) combination are determinant of individuals’ survivorship. The combination determines vegetation recovery, and it is important to maintain high biodiversity, especially for the herbaceous layer, but it is a limitation to woody vegetation recovery. A pragmatic and conciliatory land use agenda must be based on scientific knowledge and support innovative decision-making solutions for policy-makers and stakeholders, particularly farmers and donors.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1803ecosystem servicesland use and conservationpublic policies |
| spellingShingle | Carlos A. Klink Margarete N. Sato Giovanna G. Cordeiro Maria Inês M. Ramos The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation Plants ecosystem services land use and conservation public policies |
| title | The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation |
| title_full | The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation |
| title_short | The Role of Vegetation on the Dynamics of Water and Fire in the Cerrado Ecosystems: Implications for Management and Conservation |
| title_sort | role of vegetation on the dynamics of water and fire in the cerrado ecosystems implications for management and conservation |
| topic | ecosystem services land use and conservation public policies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/12/1803 |
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