Article
Ecology
Filippe L. M. Santos, Joana Nogueira, Rodrigo A. F. de Souza, Rodrigo M. Falleiro, Isabel B. Schmidt, Renata Libonati
Summary: The implementation of an Integrated Fire Management program in the Brazilian savanna has effectively reduced large wildfires and emissions, changing the prevalent fire season to a more controlled management fire season. Prescribed burning played a crucial role in this process, leading to a significant decrease in the areas affected by high fire recurrence.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucas Cabrera Monteiro, Ludgero Cardoso Galli Vieira, Jose Vicente Elias Bernardi, Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos, Joao Pedro Rudrigues de Souza, Maria Cristina Nery do Nascimento Recktenvald, Adriely Ferreira da Costa Nery, Iuri Aparecida da Silva Oliveira, Cassio da Silva Cabral, Lilian de Castro Moraes, Cleber Lopes Filomeno, Jurandir Rodrigues de Souza
Summary: Mercury is a widespread chemical element in the Earth's crust and is considered a primary global pollutant due to its high toxicity and ability to accumulate in organisms. A study conducted in floodplain lakes in Brazil found that areas impacted by pasture and urban areas had higher mercury concentrations in water, sediment, and macrophytes. In contrast, preserved areas downstream had hotspots of mercury in periphyton and forest fires. The study also found that mercury concentrations in water and sediment were associated with high pH and organic matter content.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bernardo M. Flores, Michele de Sa Dechoum, Isabel B. Schmidt, Marina Hirota, Anna Abrahao, Larissa Verona, Luisa L. F. Pecoral, Marcio B. Cure, Andre L. Giles, Patricia de Britto Costa, Matheus B. Pamplona, Guilherme G. Mazzochini, Peter Groenendijk, Gessica L. Minski, Gabriel Wolfsdorf, Alexandre B. Sampaio, Fernanda Piccolo, Lorena Melo, Renato Fiacador de Lima, Rafael S. Oliveira
Summary: The study reveals that riparian forests in tropical savanna landscapes are at risk from large wildfires, which may lead to a shift in the ecosystem and impact trophic networks. Management strategies to maintain riparian forests resilience in the face of intensifying wildfire regimes are needed.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Shirley Maria Lima Sabino, Raquel franco Cassino, Makenia Oliveira Soares Gomes, Eneida Maria Eskinazi Sant'Anna, Cristina Helena Ribeiro Rocha Augustin, Diego alves De Oliveira
Summary: The study conducted the first palaeoecological investigation of the Pandeiros wetland, revealing multicentennial-scale oscillations in water availability during the Late Holocene, indicating the fluctuating nature of local climate. The results also show a general decreasing trend in arboreal density from the beginning of the Late Holocene, with the greatest expansion of dry forest occurring at specific periods.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victoria Donovan, Dillon Fogarty, Dirac Twidwell, Walter Finsinger
Summary: Woody encroachment is a major threat to grasslands globally, leading to the depletion of ecosystem services and an increased risk of wildfires. This study examines changes in spot-fire distances as grasslands experience encroachment by juniperus, finding that prescribed fires used to control encroachment have lower spot-fire distances compared to wildfires. Woody encroachment significantly increases the risks associated with wildfires and leads to higher spot-fire distances, highlighting the importance of managing encroachment to prevent the spread of fires.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Carlos Henrique Pires Luiz, Valdir Adilson Steinke
Summary: This study aims to investigate the correlation between recent Brazilian environmental policies and deforestation rates in the Cerrado region over the past 20 years. The findings suggest that improvements in environmental legislation between 2005 and 2012, as well as the implementation of the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), have contributed to a decrease in deforestation rates. However, changes in the political landscape since 2016, characterized by increased influence from the agribusiness sector and a more conservative agenda, pose a threat to Brazil's environmental quality.
Article
Forestry
Aqil Tariq, Hong Shu, Alexandre S. Gagnon, Qingting Li, Faisal Mumtaz, Artan Hysa, Muhammad Amir Siddique, Iqra Munir
Summary: This study assessed wildfires and prescribed fires in the Margalla Hills of Pakistan using remote sensing techniques, comparing the severity of different types of fires in different seasons. The research found significant differences in severity between summer wildfires and prescribed fires, with the SAR variable NSR p_95 identified as a suitable alternative for detecting fire events.
Article
Plant Sciences
Karlo G. Guidoni-Martins, Leandro Maracahipes, Adriano S. Melo, Marcus Cianciaruso
Summary: The study examined the effects of increased fire frequency on woody plant communities, indicating that high fire frequency reduces species richness but has minimal impact on species composition homogenization.
Article
Ecology
Kamaljit K. Sangha, Jay Evans, Andrew Edwards, Jeremy Russell-Smith, Rohan Fisher, Cameron Yates, Robert Costanza
Summary: This study assessed the value of ecosystem services provided by fine-scale fire management in the savannas of tropical northern Australia. By implementing prescribed burning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the scheme provides approximately $189 million worth of ES per year for local Indigenous people, as well as other off-site ES for regional and global populations. However, the market value for greenhouse gas emissions abatement represents less than 1% of the total value of ES.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Remote Sensing
Tom Eames, Roland Vernooij, Jeremy Russell-Smith, Cameron Yates, Andrew Edwards, Guido R. van der Werf
Summary: Tropical savannas and grasslands are frequently burned biomes, and fire plays an important role in sustaining ecosystem processes. Modern management of savanna fires incorporates traditional practices and earth observation data. This study proposes a remote sensing-based method for determining the end of the early dry season (EDS) burning window in order to prevent more destructive fires in the late dry season (LDS). The research finds that fuel connectivity is a strong driving factor for variability in EDS transition dates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Ingrid Horak-Terra, Rosalia Nazareth Rosa Trindade, Fabricio da Silva Terra, Alexandre Christofaro Silva, Plinio Barbosa de Camargo, Carolina Batista de Oliveira Viana, Pablo Vidal-Torrado
Summary: This paper presents a study on the stratigraphy and properties of a deep soil core from a vereda in Brazil. The research provides insight into the formation and environmental changes of the vereda, as well as the potential for studying climate changes since the late Pleistocene. The results highlight the importance of protecting these complex ecosystems for further research.
Article
Geography, Physical
Raquel Franco Cassino, Shirley Maria Lima Sabino, Mariana Leticia Caixeta, Diego Alves De Oliveira, Makenia Oliveira Soares Gomes, Eneida Maria Eskinazi St Anna, Cristina Helena Ribeiro Rocha Augustin
Summary: The Pandeiros wetland in central Brazil is ecologically important for vegetation biodiversity, hydrological cycles, fauna reproduction and feeding, and local human populations. This study investigates the millennial-scale variability of water supply, vegetation structure, and fire activity in the wetland during the Late Holocene. The results show the importance of rainfall in the Pandeiros River basin and Southern Hemisphere in maintaining water supply, as well as the decline in arboreal cover and increase in fire activity in the Cerrado of the Pandeiros Basin.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biology
Gustavo Schiavone Crestana, Jessica Mendes, Renato Augusto Correa dos Santos, Flavia Vischi Winck
Summary: Brazil needs a long-term strategy for science and innovation to enhance the status of both science and scientists in the country.
Article
Ecology
Paul Laris, Moussa Kone, Fadiala Dembele, Christine M. Rodrigue, Lilian Yang, Rebecca Jacobs, Quincy Laris
Summary: Savanna fires play a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in West Africa where accurate estimates are lacking. Research shows that head fires have much higher methane emission factors compared to backfires, contributing to significant differences in emission densities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mussie T. Beyene, Scott G. Leibowitz, Christopher J. Dunn, Kevin D. Bladon
Summary: This study assessed the impact of both wildfires and prescribed fires on trace element concentrations in streams in the western US. The results showed that high-severity wildfires caused significant increases in trace element concentrations, while prescribed fires did not.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jayalaxshmi Mistry, Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Ludivine Eloy, Bibiana Bilbao
Article
Plant Sciences
I. B. Schmidt, D. I. de Urzedo, F. C. M. Pina-Rodrigues, D. L. M. Vieira, G. M. de Rezende, A. B. Sampaio, R. G. P. Junqueira
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ludivine Eloy, Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Silvia Laine Borges, Maxmiller Cardoso Ferreira, Teomenilton A. dos Santos
Article
Plant Sciences
Andre Ganem Coutinho, Monique Alves, Alexandre Bonesso Sampaio, Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Daniel Luis Mascia Vieira
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Livia C. Moura, Aldicir O. Scariot, Isabel B. Schmidt, Robin Beatty, Jeremy Russell-Smith
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Plant Sciences
Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Ludivine Eloy
Review
Ecology
Elise Buisson, Alessandra Fidelis, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Isabel B. Schmidt, Giselda Durigan, Truman P. Young, Swanni T. Alvarado, Andre J. Arruda, Sylvain Boisson, William Bond, Andre Coutinho, Kevin Kirkman, Rafael S. Oliveira, Melissa H. Schmitt, Frances Siebert, Stefan J. Siebert, Dave I. Thompson, Fernando A. O. Silveira
Summary: The article discusses the importance of restoring biodiverse tropical and subtropical grassy biomes and highlights the need for further research to improve the restoration process. The research priorities identified include understanding undervaluation of TGB, mapping restoration opportunities, recognizing natural regeneration potential, improving seed quality, and monitoring restoration outcomes. Such research has the potential to advance theory, policy, and practice in TGB restoration, ultimately benefiting people and nature in neglected ecosystems.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bernardo M. Flores, Michele de Sa Dechoum, Isabel B. Schmidt, Marina Hirota, Anna Abrahao, Larissa Verona, Luisa L. F. Pecoral, Marcio B. Cure, Andre L. Giles, Patricia de Britto Costa, Matheus B. Pamplona, Guilherme G. Mazzochini, Peter Groenendijk, Gessica L. Minski, Gabriel Wolfsdorf, Alexandre B. Sampaio, Fernanda Piccolo, Lorena Melo, Renato Fiacador de Lima, Rafael S. Oliveira
Summary: The study reveals that riparian forests in tropical savanna landscapes are at risk from large wildfires, which may lead to a shift in the ecosystem and impact trophic networks. Management strategies to maintain riparian forests resilience in the face of intensifying wildfire regimes are needed.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana Carla dos Santos, Samuel da Rocha Montenegro, Maxmiller Cardoso Ferreira, Ana Carolina Sena Barradas, Isabel Belloni Schmidt
Summary: Fire is an essential ecological disturbance, but human-induced wildfires are increasingly posing threats to native ecosystems and human lives. With climate change and deforestation altering the roles of environmental drivers in fire behavior, reassessing the main determinants of fire behavior is crucial for safe and adaptive fire management planning. Our study highlights the significance of environmental variables, particularly humidity, temperature, wind speed, and fuel load, in predicting fire behavior and underscores the importance of considering these factors in fire management strategies in the context of a changing climate.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Gabriel Wolfsdorf, Anna Abrahao, Andre M. D'Angioli, Michele de Sa Dechoum, Sergio T. Meirelles, Luisa F. L. Pecoral, Lucy Rowland, Larissa da Silveira Verona, Isabel B. Schmidt, Alexandre B. Sampaio, Rafael S. Oliveira
Summary: This study suggests that invasive species and soil inocula play important roles in restoration efforts in tropical grasslands, with different plant species showing varied responses to soil microbes. Additionally, legacies of some plant species may limit their effectiveness for restoration purposes.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando A. O. Silveira, Carlos A. Ordonez-Parra, Livia C. Moura, Isabel B. Schmidt, Alan N. Andersen, William Bond, Elise Buisson, Giselda Durigan, Alessandra Fidelis, Rafael S. Oliveira, Catherine Parr, Lucy Rowland, Joseph W. Veldman, R. Toby Pennington
Summary: The study identified disparities in attention, action, and knowledge among different biomes in tropical restoration science, practice, and policy, with forests receiving more focus than open biomes. The findings suggest a need to increase awareness and recognition of the value of open biomes for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation, and human livelihoods, in order to effectively achieve the goals of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andre M. D'Angioli, Andre L. Giles, Patricia B. Costa, Gabriel Wolfsdorf, Luisa L. F. Pecoral, Larissa Verona, Fernanda Piccolo, Alexandre B. Sampaio, Isabel B. Schmidt, Lucy Rowland, Hans Lambers, Ellen Kandeler, Rafael S. Oliveira, Anna Abrahao
Summary: Around 40% of the original Brazilian savanna territory is occupied by pastures dominated by fast-growing exotic C-4 grasses, which impact ecosystem nutrient cycling. The restoration of these areas depends on the re-establishment of soil processes. Abandoned pastures had faster nutrient turnover than native savanna, dominated by slow-growing native species. Compared with native savanna, restored areas had similar levels of soil enzyme activities, but lower microbial biomass and soil organic matter. The reduction of soil microbial biomass and organic matter content reduces the immobilization of soil nutrients and is expected to favor a fast nutrient turnover in the ecosystem. The restoration of abandoned pastures should consider a greater focus on restoring soil carbon and nutrient cycling.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Maxmiller Cardoso Ferreira, Alba Orli de Oliveira Cordeiro, Alexandre Bonesso Sampaio, Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Daniel Luis Mascia Vieira
Summary: Seedling planting (SP) and direct seeding (DS) are the most commonly used methods for tropical tree propagation. A comparison study of four seasonal tropical species showed that DS plants had higher survival rates and cost-effectiveness, while eliminating the need for multiple steps in planting seedlings.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Natashi A. L. Pilon, Bruna H. Campos, Giselda Durigan, Mario G. B. Cava, Lucy Rowland, Isabel Schmidt, Alexandre Sampaio, Rafael S. Oliveira
Summary: The ecological restoration of tropical open ecosystems is challenging and assessing the effectiveness of restoration techniques is crucial. The results show that passive restoration promotes the conservation of a limited number of target species, while active restoration using propagules from pristine sites performs better in restoring plant diversity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geography
Ludivine Eloy, Bibiana A. Bilbao, Jayalaxshmi Mistry, Isabel B. Schmidt
GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL
(2019)
