Tree dynamics of a fire-protected cerrado sensu stricto surrounded by forest plantations, over a 13-year period (1991-2004) in Bahia, Brazil

• Published in: Plant ecology 2008-08, Vol.197 (2), p.255-267
• Main Authors: Roitman, I, Felfili, J. M, Rezende, A. V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Applied Ecology; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cerrado; Climatic conditions; Community & Population Ecology; Ecology; Ecotones; Eucalyptus; Fire prevention; Forest & brush fires; Forest ecology; Forest plantations; Forestry; Forests; Immigration; Life Sciences; Migratory species; Mortality; New species; Pasture; Physiognomy; Pinus; Plant Ecology; Plantations; Plants; Recruitment; Savannas; Species; Species composition; Stems; Succession; Terrestial Ecology; Trees; Vegetation
• ISSN: 1385-0237; 1573-5052
• DOI: 10.1007/s11258-007-9375-9

Structural and floristic changes of a fire-protected cerrado sensu stricto are described over a 13-year period. The study site is located in a biological reserve (2,800 ha) surrounded by large Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus spp. plantations (36,000 ha), in southwestern Bahia, Brazil. The region occurs in the outer-core of the Cerrado domain, near the Cerrado-Caatinga ecotone, and is mainly occupied by pasture and cropland. Surveys were carried out in 1991 and 2004 in 13 permanent plots (20 x 50 m). Stems with diameter >=5 cm at 0.30 m above ground level were identified and measured. Floristic changes were significant (Sørensen[acute accent]s index = 0.45). Species number rose from 62 to 84 (35.48%). Alpha diversity increased significantly (P > 0.001). New species migrated to the area, and there was an expansion of many fire-sensitive species. Woody layer expanded, increasing 19.09% in density and 14.93% in basal area. Diameter distributions followed a “reversed-j” pattern on both occasions, but differed (P > 0.05) due to a significant increase in the first two size-classes, indicating a high recruitment. Community dynamics was high and had a positive balance between recruitment (3.72% yr⁻¹) and mortality (1.93% yr⁻¹). Conversely, mean annual increment was very small, 0.096 cm yr⁻¹ (SD = 0.14; N = 808). Most species, including many dominant ones, had a positive balance in favor of recruitment and low turnover, indicating that although species immigration rate is high (1.42 spp ha⁻¹), structural changes in species composition happens at a much slower pace. The surrounding forest plantations are permeable and do not limit species immigration; and may be connecting the reserve with the larger neighboring natural fragments, providing an abundant source for diaspores, and possibly neutralizing any fragmentation effects. Succession is also influenced by the ecotonal condition. The structure and floristics of the cerrado sensu stricto at this site (under present climatic conditions) is fire-dependent.