Land occupation and management systems have defined fire regimes and landscapes for millennia. The savanna biome is responsible for 86% of all fire events, contributes to 10% of the total carbon ...emissions annually and is home to 10% of the human population. European colonization has been associated with the implementation of fire suppression policies in many tropical savanna regions, markedly disrupting traditional fire management practices and transforming ecosystems. In this paper we assess savanna burning approaches from pre-colonial to contemporary eras in three regions: northern Australia, southern Africa and Brazil. In these regions, fire suppression policies have led to (i) conflicts between government authorities and local communities; (ii) frequent late dry season wildfires and/or (iii) woody encroachment. Such consequences are facilitating changes to fire management policies, including recognition and incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge in contemporary community-based adaptive savanna fire management. Such programs include implementation of prescribed early dry season fires and, in some regions, generating income opportunities for rural and traditional communities through the reduction of late dry season wildfires and associated greenhouse gas emissions. We present a brief history of fire management policies in these three important savanna regions, and identify ongoing challenges for implementation of culturally and ecologically sustainable fire management policies.
•Many tropical savanna regions have been subjected to fire suppression policies.•Fire prohibitions caused conflicts, wildfires and cultural and livelihood impacts.•Contemporary fire policies concern traditional systems, environment and livelihood.•Effective fire policies address adaptive, inclusive and integrative management.
1. Several decades of frustrated attempts to prevent fires in the Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado) have led to deleterious ecological and management consequences. In 2014, the first Integrated Fire ...Management (IFM) programme was launched in three protected areas (PAs). 2. The IFM programme considers local practices, ecological information, management options and aims to create landscape mosaics of different fire histories to conserve biodiversity, reduce the prevalence of late-dry season (LDS) wildfires, protect fire-sensitive vegetation and reduce conflicts between PA managers and local communities. 3. The first 3 years of imposed fire management regimes led to 40%-57% reduction in LDS fires, improved dialogue between researchers, managers and local communities, generating fire management learning communities. 4. Synthesis and applications. This Integrated Fire Management programme represents a major advance in Cerrado management and conservation, by actively managing fires and decreasing the proportion of areas burnt by late-dry season wildfires. It can contribute to PAs' management in the Cerrado and other South American fire-prone ecosystems. Long-term monitoring and research are essential to understand the ecological implications and to improve fire management practices.
We introduce the concept of Biome Awareness Disparity (BAD)—defined as a failure to appreciate the significance of all biomes in conservation and restoration policy—and quantify disparities in (a) ...attention and interest, (b) action and (c) knowledge among biomes in tropical restoration science, practice and policy.
By analysing 50,000 tweets from all Partner Institutions of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, and 45,000 tweets from the main science and environmental news media world‐wide, we found strong disparities in attention and interest relative to biome extent and diversity. Tweets largely focused on forests, whereas open biomes (such as grasslands, savannas and shrublands) received less attention in relation to their area. In contrast to these differences in attention, there were equivalent likes and retweets between forest versus open biomes, suggesting the disparities may not reflect the views of the general public.
Through a literature review, we found that restoration experiments are disproportionately concentrated in rainforests, dry forests and mangroves. More than half of the studies conducted in open biomes reported tree planting as the main restoration action, suggesting inappropriate application of forest‐oriented techniques.
Policy implications. We urge scientists, policymakers and land managers to recognise the value of open biomes for protecting biodiversity, securing ecosystem services, mitigating climate change and enhancing human livelihoods. Fixing Biome Awareness Disparity will increase the likelihood of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration successfully delivering its promises.
Resumo
Nós introduzimos o conceito de disparidade de consciência de bioma (DCS)—definido como uma falha em reconhecer a importância de todos os biomas na política de conservação e restauração— e quantificamos disparidades em (i) atenção e interesse, (ii) ação, e (iii) conhecimento na ciência, prática e política de restauração de biomas tropicais.
Analisamos mais de 50,000 tweets de todas as instituições parceiras da Década das Nações Unidas para a Restauração de Ecossistemas, e mais de 45,000 tweets dos maiores canais de mídia de ciência e meio ambiente em todo mundo e encontramos fortes disparidades de atenção e interesse relativos à extensão e diversidade de biomas. Tweets focaram fortemente em florestas, enquanto biomas abertos (como campos, savanas e arbustais), receberam menor atenção relativo à sua área. Em contraste com as disparidades em atenção, encontramos um número equivalente de curtidas e retweets entre biomas florestais e biomas abertos, sugerindo que as disparidades não refletem a visão do público em geral.
Nossa revisão de literatura demonstrou que os experimentos de restauração se concentraram desproporcionalmente em florestas úmidas, secas e manguezais. Mais da metade dos estudos conduzidos em biomas abertos reportou o plantio de árvores como a principal ação de restauração, sugerindo a aplicação incorreta de técnicas centradas em florestas.
Convidamos os cientistas, formuladores de políticas públicas e gestores ambientais a reconhecer o valor dos biomas abertos para proteção da biodiversidade, garantia de serviços ecossistêmicos, mitigação das mudanças climáticas, e melhoria dos meios de subsistência humana. Reparar a Disparidade de Consciência de Bioma aumentará a probabilidade de a Década das Nações Unidas para a Restauração de Ecossistemas cumprir com sucesso suas promessas.
We urge scientists, policymakers and land managers to recognise the value of open biomes for protecting biodiversity, securing ecosystem services, mitigating climate change and enhancing human livelihoods. Fixing Biome Awareness Disparity will increase the likelihood of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration successfully delivering its promises.
Anthropogenic fire has long shaped landscapes and livelihoods in South American savanna environments. With the growing recognition of the failures of fire suppression policies and the relevance of ...local peoples’ practices, the Brazilian and Venezuelan governments have begun to shift to fire management policies in savanna ecosystems. Using case studies from protected areas in Cerrado and Gran Sabana, and results from two multi‐stakeholder meetings held in Parupa (Venezuela) and Brasilia (Brazil), we identify advances, resistances and challenges to inter‐cultural fire management in both countries. We show that the two regions host pioneer experiences in collaborative research based on improved dialogue and knowledge exchanges between scientists, institutions, Indigenous and local communities as well as fire management implementation including “controlled” and “prescribed” burnings. However, in some places, narrow understanding of the complexity and historical dynamics of local fire practices and the strong resistance to recognise the value of traditional fire knowledge might restrain effective participation of local communities. We argue that more collaborative research is necessary to support community owned solutions for intercultural and participative fire management in changing environmental and socio‐cultural contexts.
► Sustainability of harvest is directly related to the local ecological knowledge. ► Harvest is spreading faster than knowledge, threatening sustainability. ► Harvesting regulations in place are ...adequate on a regional scale. ► Timing of harvest strongly determines harvesting impacts.
Sustainable harvest of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) can play an important role in biodiversity conservation and livelihoods. However, harvesting policy intended to promote conservation are frequently either ineffective or too complicated. Successful policies should consider ecological impacts, local ecological knowledge and management practices, but NTFP policies are rarely based on these elements. Syngonanthus nitens (Eriocaulaceae, ‘golden-grass’) is one of the most valuable NTFPs from the Brazilian savanna. The handicrafts made from this species’ flower stalks are traditional to the Jalapão region, Tocantins state, but have expanded over a much larger area in recent years. We combined ethnoecological interviews, seed phenology surveys over a large geographical area and harvest experiments in nine sites over 3years to assess local ecological knowledge and management of golden-grass and its long-term effects on population dynamics. Although handicrafting activities are rapidly expanding, local ecological knowledge associated with harvest or management has not been transferred or created outside of Jalapão. Matrix population models illustrate that harvest according to traditional management practices had no impact on golden-grass population dynamics. Earlier harvest of golden-grass, as practiced by new artisans, leads to population decline due to plant uprooting. Local policies for golden-grass harvest are consistent with traditional management, limit the timing but not the quantity of harvest, and are appropriate over a wide geographical scale. Golden-grass and other wild harvested species with similar characteristics hold high potential to help conserve threatened habitat.
Native vegetation across the Brazilian Cerrado is highly heterogeneous and biodiverse and provides important ecosystem services, including carbon and water balance regulation, however, land-use ...changes have been extensive. Conservation and restoration of native vegetation is essential and could be facilitated by detailed landcover maps. Here, across a large case study region in Goiás State, Brazil (1.1 Mha), we produced physiognomy level maps of native vegetation (n = 8) and other landcover types (n = 5). Seven different classification schemes using different combinations of input satellite imagery were used, with a Random Forest classifier and 2-stage approach implemented within Google Earth Engine. Overall classification accuracies ranged from 88.6-92.6% for native and non-native vegetation at the formation level (stage-1), and 70.7-77.9% for native vegetation at the physiognomy level (stage-2), across the seven different classifications schemes. The differences in classification accuracy resulting from varying the input imagery combination and quality control procedures used were small. However, a combination of seasonal Sentinel-1 (C-band synthetic aperture radar) and Sentinel-2 (surface reflectance) imagery resulted in the most accurate classification at a spatial resolution of 20 m. Classification accuracies when using Landsat-8 imagery were marginally lower, but still reasonable. Quality control procedures that account for vegetation burning when selecting vegetation reference data may also improve classification accuracy for some native vegetation types. Detailed landcover maps, produced using freely available satellite imagery and upscalable techniques, will be important tools for understanding vegetation functioning at the landscape scale and for implementing restoration projects.
1. Understanding how management activities impact plant population dynamics is necessary to conserve at-risk species, control invasive species and sustainably harvest non-timber forest products ...(NTFP). For NTFP, knowledge about how the sustainability of harvest varies by plant life-form and part harvested is limited and needed to inform management of the thousands of species providing income to millions of people world-wide. 2. Matrix population models are commonly used to generate management recommendations. We reviewed studies of 46 NTFP species that used matrix models and synthesize the current knowledge on harvest effects. For 19 species with harvested and control populations, we assessed the impacts of harvest on projected population growth rates (λ) using meta-analysis and analysed trends in population responses to harvest across species, life-forms and plant part harvested using elasticity and life table response experiment (LTRE) analyses, and the combination of both, to assess vulnerability to harvest. 3. NTFP harvest significantly reduced λ across species. On the scale of individual studies, however, λ provided little information about harvest sustainability unless replication was sufficiently high. Most studies had low levels of replication over space or time and did not include contrasting levels of harvest. 4. Whole-plant harvest of herbs and bark harvest from trees were not sustainable largely because of decreases in survival. Palm leaf or fruit harvest and rattan stem harvest were potentially sustainable. Combined elasticity—LTRE analysis was especially valuable in assessing the sustainability of harvest when differences in λ between harvested and control populations were small, for studies with limited replicates, and where harvest effects varied regionally. 5. Synthesis and applications. The use of matrix models to assess the impacts of NTFP harvest is still rare in regions where trade of wild plants is heaviest and for several commonly harvested life-forms. Given the high variance in estimates for most NTFP species, λ does not provide a precise assessment of harvest impacts. We recommend that managers consider the combined elasticity—LTRE analysis in addition to λ in making management decisions for NTFP. NTFP research that accounts for environmental drivers of population dynamics in addition to harvest should be prioritized.
Despite growing recognition of the conservation value of grassy biomes, our understanding of how to restore biodiverse tropical and subtropical grassy biomes (grasslands and savannas; TGB) remains ...limited. Several tools have recently been identified for TGB restoration, including prescribed fires, appropriate management of livestock and wild herbivores, tree cutting and shrub removal, invasive species control, and the reintroduction of native grasses and forbs via seeding or transplants. However, additional research for improved TGB restoration is needed. This article aims to identify ecological research priorities for TGB restoration. The following points are crucial to scale up TGB restoration and meet the challenges of the UN Restoration Decade. Research should focus on: disentangling the reasons why TGB are often undervalued and misunderstood; mapping TGB restoration opportunities; identifying regions where TGB and other biomes naturally exist as alternative stable states; recognizing areas with natural regeneration potential to avoid unnecessary intervention; restoring soil conditions; disentangling factors driving low seed quality, determining germination requirements and developing vegetative propagation techniques for TGB species; disentangling the limiting factors and key ecological processes underlying seedling establishment and community assembly; improving and validating long‐term management to mimic natural disturbance regimes; setting the minimum attributes of desirable TGB in terms of structure, composition, functioning, and resilience; and improving monitoring of restoration outcomes. Such research has the potential to advance theory, policy, and practice in TGB restoration, ultimately resulting in long‐term benefits for people and nature in some of the more neglected ecosystems of our planet.
There is high potential for ecosystem restoration across tropical savannah-dominated regions, but the benefits that could be gained from this restoration are rarely assessed. This study focuses on ...the Brazilian Cerrado, a highly species-rich savannah-dominated region, as an exemplar to review potential restoration benefits using three metrics: net biomass gains, plant species richness and ability to connect restored and native vegetation. Localized estimates of the most appropriate restoration vegetation type (grassland, savannah, woodland/forest) for pasturelands are produced. Carbon sequestration potential is significant for savannah and woodland/forest restoration in the seasonally dry tropics (net biomass gains of 58.2 ± 37.7 and 130.0 ± 69.4 Mg ha
). Modelled restoration species richness gains were highest in the central and south-east of the Cerrado for savannahs and grasslands, and in the west and north-west for woodlands/forests. The potential to initiate restoration projects across the whole of the Cerrado is high and four hotspot areas are identified. We demonstrate that landscape restoration across all vegetation types within heterogeneous tropical savannah-dominated regions can maximize biodiversity and carbon gains. However, conservation of existing vegetation is essential to minimizing the cost and improving the chances of restoration success. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
•Direct seeding is an effective technique to reintroduce grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees in the Neotropical savanna.•Higher seeding densities (>318 seeds.m−2) and more intensive soil preparation (>4 ...plowings) increase relative native cover.•Poorer, shallower soils are easier to restore since invasive grass return is lower than in richer soils.
Tropical grassland-savanna mosaics are threatened globally, but they are challenging to restore because highly competitive pasture grasses inhibit recovery and are not shaded out by the patchy tree cover. We analyzed the outcomes of restoration projects and experiments established over four years in 55 ha of abandoned pastures dominated by invasive C4 grasses within the Neotropical savanna, Central Brazil. We tested the efficacy of direct seeding native grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees in reducing invasive grass cover and increasing native ground cover. We performed a series of experiments aimed at answering questions about the effect of seeding density, soil plowing to control invasive grasses, life form of ground cover species (grass, forb or shrub) and soil type on restoration outcomes. Relative native cover reached 34 ± 3% three rainy seasons after the first seeding experiment. Higher seeding densities and more soil plowing repetitions increased relative native cover. Soil type interacted with the life form of ground cover species to strongly influence relative native cover; two years after seeding, the highest relative native cover was achieved in rocky soils seeded with grasses (78 ± 6%) and the lowest was for seasonally waterlogged soils seeded with shrubs (15 ± 4%). Direct seeding can effectively establish many native Neotropical savanna species of different life forms with better restoration outcomes on rocky soils and with higher seeding densities. Further research is urgent to improve restoration methods, especially to control invasive grasses, to be able to achieve the large-scale restoration targets set internationally.
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