expanded and forests contracted while the opposite happened during warm periods.
The long evolutionary history in combination with the large area occupied is the
reason for the huge biodiversity with a high rate of endemism (Ratter et al. 1997).
With annual precipitation rates of 800–2000 mm most Cerrado ecosystems
belong to the moist savannas. Surprisingly, this amount of rain is comparable with
precipitation rates of the adjacent Atlantic rainforest (Mata Atlantica; 1200–2500).
Thus, many regions of the Cerrado biome have similar or the same precipitation rates
as many regions of the Mata Atlantica. Furthermore, also the average temperatures
are comparable, with 18–27 (28)
C in the Cerrado biome and 14–26
C (high
mountain zones excluded) in the rainforest of the Mata Atlantica.
Thus, equivalent precipitation rates and temperatures enable the occurrence and
neighbourhood of tropical rainforest near the coast and Cerrado biome as totally
different landscape more inland.
In contrary to the rainforest of the Mata Atlantica the Cerrado is characterized by
a strong dry season between April and September. During this time frequent natural
fires impact and destroy primarily woody plants, trees and shrubs. Thus, fire is
essential for the existence of Cerrado grasslands and savannas.
The Cerrado contains a very rich flora compared to other savannas. It harbours
c. 10,000 native vascular plant species of which 4400 are endemics, 195 species of
mammals, 605–837 bird species, 225 reptiles and 251 amphibians (Oliveira and
Marquis 2002; Mittermeier et al. 2005; Mendonça et al. 2008), many of them
endemic.
Furthermore, Ratter et al. (1997) found remarkably rich biodiversity patterns at
landscape scales (beta diversity). They analysed the woody vegetation of 98 sites
throughout the whole region and identified 534 species of vascular plants inside the
plots. 158 (30%) species were found in a single site only while 28 species were
present in 50% of the plots or more. None of the species was found in all plots.
In contrary to African savannas, large herds of migrating herbivores are absent.
Most mammal species in the Cerrado are small or medium-sized and show different
adaptations to fire and the local compositions change much as a function of time after
fire (Briani et al. 2004).
Human activities threaten the Cerrado biome. Strong impacts are conversion to
cropland, using the land as pasture for domestic animals, forest growth including tree
plantations, e.g. of exotic trees such as eucalypt (Fig. 5), traffic and building
activities, and fire prevention (Ratter et al. 1997; Durigan et al. 2007; Válka Alves
and Janišová 2016; Janišová et al. 2016).
There is a long discussion about fire prevention and the meaning of the so-called
zero-fire policy. Meanwhile it became evident that exclusion of regular fire enlarges
the risk of mega-fire events caused by continuous accumulation of flammable
material such as litter and timber for a long time. Thus, like in Mediterranean regions
of California where trees such as eucalypt and pine are planted, zero-fire policy
would bring more damage than benefits for Cerrado ecosystems (Fidelis et al. 2018).
The competitive impact of invasive African grasses such as Melinis minutiflora or
Urochloa brizantha has been described by Durigan et al. (2007) and Damasceno
et al. (2018).
Development and Future of Grassland Ecosystems: Do We Need a Paradigm Shift?
341
The long evolutionary history in combination with the large area occupied is the
reason for the huge biodiversity with a high rate of endemism (Ratter et al. 1997).
With annual precipitation rates of 800–2000 mm most Cerrado ecosystems
belong to the moist savannas. Surprisingly, this amount of rain is comparable with
precipitation rates of the adjacent Atlantic rainforest (Mata Atlantica; 1200–2500).
Thus, many regions of the Cerrado biome have similar or the same precipitation rates
as many regions of the Mata Atlantica. Furthermore, also the average temperatures
are comparable, with 18–27 (28)
C in the Cerrado biome and 14–26
C (high
mountain zones excluded) in the rainforest of the Mata Atlantica.
Thus, equivalent precipitation rates and temperatures enable the occurrence and
neighbourhood of tropical rainforest near the coast and Cerrado biome as totally
different landscape more inland.
In contrary to the rainforest of the Mata Atlantica the Cerrado is characterized by
a strong dry season between April and September. During this time frequent natural
fires impact and destroy primarily woody plants, trees and shrubs. Thus, fire is
essential for the existence of Cerrado grasslands and savannas.
The Cerrado contains a very rich flora compared to other savannas. It harbours
c. 10,000 native vascular plant species of which 4400 are endemics, 195 species of
mammals, 605–837 bird species, 225 reptiles and 251 amphibians (Oliveira and
Marquis 2002; Mittermeier et al. 2005; Mendonça et al. 2008), many of them
endemic.
Furthermore, Ratter et al. (1997) found remarkably rich biodiversity patterns at
landscape scales (beta diversity). They analysed the woody vegetation of 98 sites
throughout the whole region and identified 534 species of vascular plants inside the
plots. 158 (30%) species were found in a single site only while 28 species were
present in 50% of the plots or more. None of the species was found in all plots.
In contrary to African savannas, large herds of migrating herbivores are absent.
Most mammal species in the Cerrado are small or medium-sized and show different
adaptations to fire and the local compositions change much as a function of time after
fire (Briani et al. 2004).
Human activities threaten the Cerrado biome. Strong impacts are conversion to
cropland, using the land as pasture for domestic animals, forest growth including tree
plantations, e.g. of exotic trees such as eucalypt (Fig. 5), traffic and building
activities, and fire prevention (Ratter et al. 1997; Durigan et al. 2007; Válka Alves
and Janišová 2016; Janišová et al. 2016).
There is a long discussion about fire prevention and the meaning of the so-called
zero-fire policy. Meanwhile it became evident that exclusion of regular fire enlarges
the risk of mega-fire events caused by continuous accumulation of flammable
material such as litter and timber for a long time. Thus, like in Mediterranean regions
of California where trees such as eucalypt and pine are planted, zero-fire policy
would bring more damage than benefits for Cerrado ecosystems (Fidelis et al. 2018).
The competitive impact of invasive African grasses such as Melinis minutiflora or
Urochloa brizantha has been described by Durigan et al. (2007) and Damasceno
et al. (2018).
Development and Future of Grassland Ecosystems: Do We Need a Paradigm Shift?
341