News / Science News

    Fire control harms biodiversity in Brazilian savannah

    Policies that prevent fires caused by people in El Cerrado (the Brazilian savannah) lead to biodiversity losses because they promote the expansion of forests with dense vegetation.



    El Cerrado.


    This is the main conclusion of a study that examined impacts over the last 30 years in parts of El Cerrado that belong to São Paulo state.

    The researchers used satellite images to determine changes in vegetation, and in the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed in different areas of a small city in El Cerrado the commune Aguas de Santa Barbara.

    They confirmed that a policy banning human-caused fires between 1986 and 2015 encouraged the growth of denser forest.

    This led to an increase, by 1.2 tons, of the carbon stored in both vegetation and soil in those areas since 1986.

    But at the same time, they found a reduction in the diversity of plants and ants in the same period, by 27 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

    According to the researchers, these findings apply to other animals too, so impacts can also be expected for birds, reptiles and amphibians.

    The El Cerrado is an area with open vegetation, shrubs and grasses. The chemical processes that influence biodiversity by stimulating the sprouting and blossoming of plants, fruiting and seed dispersal, are regulated partly by fires.

    Ceasefire policies might be beneficial for Amazonia and the Atlantic Forest but not for El Cerrado. This is an area that needs fire in order to maintain its animal and vegetable species diversity.

    Excessive fire suppression might be devastating to the species that depend on natural savanna habitats, both in Brazil and in other regions of the world such as parts of Africa. (SciDev.Net)

    OCTOBER 9, 2017



    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    A novel technology was developed by Indian-origin researchers that can clean water twice as fast as commercially available ultrafiltration membranes.
    Researchers have discovered that a hormone, fibroblast growth factor 21, is extremely elevated in mice with liver disease that mimics the same condition in patients with methylmalonic acidemia, a serious genomic disorder.
    CERN's Large Hadron Collider announced that researchers discovered a remarkable class of particles known as pentaquarks that could reshape scientists' understanding about the properties of matter.
    Scientists have found a way to resolve the conflict that has sprung up between protecting forests from increasingly frequent wildfires and droughts and preserving sufficient habitat for the endangered spotted owl, Strix occidentalis.
    A simple molecule in the atmosphere that acts as a "detergent" to breakdown methane and other greenhouse gases has been found to recycle itself to maintain a steady global presence in the face of rising emissions, according to new NASA research.
    The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 8:29 pm EDT on April 17, 2016. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

    © 1991-2023 The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin | Titi Tudorancea® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
    Contact