Typical Savanna Research Articles

Effect of rock phosphate direct application on tropical legumes under different soil types of Sudan Savanna

ABSTRACT Direct application of low-grade rock phosphate (RP) is a less expensive alternative than the application of chemical phosphorus (P) for small holders relying on nutrient-deficient weathered soils. However, the effect of RP application on growth and yield is unstable for different crop species and soil water conditions. To identify legume species effective for RP direct application, five tropical legumes (cowpea, groundnut, bambara nut, mung bean, and soybean) were tested under two soil types with different water-holding capacities in Sudan Savanna; Lixisols and Plinthosols. The experiment was conducted under three conditions of P treatment, namely, RP application, triple super phosphate (TSP) application, and no phosphorus fertilizer application (0P). Under RP treatment, higher grain yield was obtained in Lixisols, which had a higher water-holding capacity. However, the yield increase was suppressed in the year with more rainfall owing to drastic changes in the soil moisture content, which caused excessive soil moisture stress during vegetative growth periods. Among the five legume species, cowpea and groundnut showed higher grain yields under the RP treatment than did other species. RP application increased shoot biomass but caused small changes in the shoot P and N concentrations. Soybean in Plinthosols had the highest yield ratio of RP/0P, but the absolute yield was low because of the insufficient soil water availability caused by the low water-holding capacity. RP direct application can assist shoot growth and yield, but it rarely compensates for basal yield differences between soil types and among legume species.

Living together, feeding apart: the comparative foraging ecology of two African flycatcher species

This study examined how habitat and resource conditions influence the foraging behaviour and ecology of the Pale (Pallid) Flycatcher Agricola pallidus and Marico Flycatcher Bradornis mariquensis, two perch-and-pounce insectivores that swoop on prey from elevated perches. These species were studied in the early 1980s at the Nylsvley Nature Reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa, where Marico Flycatchers occupied fine-leafed, spinescent Vachellia (Acacia) tortilis-dominated woodland, while Pale Flycatchers were confined to Burkea africana-dominated mesophyll woodland. These two woodland types correspond to two contrasting savanna types across Africa more broadly: arid-eutrophic, fine-leafed savannas and mesic/moist-dystrophic, broad-leafed woodlands. Their juxtaposition at the Nylsvley Reserve provided an opportunity to explore the factors affecting the habitat preferences and foraging behaviour of these two species. Acacia woodlands had higher invertebrate abundance, at least on the ground, and lower groundcover than Burkea woodlands in both seasons, although the difference was less during the dry season. Throughout the year, Marico Flycatchers consistently foraged at a faster rate, pouncing more frequently and more successfully on prey than did Pale Flycatchers. They also spent less time searching from each perch and gave up sooner if they found nothing. The average time difference between successful and unsuccessful searches was only a few seconds for both species, however. Presumably because they occupied a less productive woodland, Pale Flycatchers had considerably larger home ranges and occurred at lower densities overall, and so experienced fewer intraspecific and interspecific interactions. In contrast, Marico Flycatchers faced more competition both intra- and interspecifically, especially in the dry season when prey was scarce; they lost most of their conflicts, all with larger birds. Habitat separation between these two flycatcher species is apparently maintained by the differences in habitat structure, resource availability and occasional interspecific interactions, in which Marico Flycatchers dominated Pale Flycatchers.

Longleaf pine savannas reveal biases in current understanding of savanna biogeography

AbstractBiased understanding of savanna biogeographyGrasslands and savannas exist across a wide range of climates. Mesic savannas, with highly variable tree densities, are particularly misunderstood and understudied in comparison to arid and semi‐arid savannas. North America contains historically extensive mesic savannas dominated by longleaf pine. Longleaf pine savannas may have once been the largest savanna type on North America, yet these ecosystems have been overlooked in global syntheses. Excluding these “Forgotten Ecosystems” from global syntheses biases our understanding of savanna biogeography and distribution.Evolutionary history and distinct climate of longleaf savannasWe assessed the evolutionary history and biogeography of longleaf pine savannas. We then harmonize plot data from longleaf savannas with plot data from valuable existing global synthesis of savannas on other continents. We show that longleaf pine savannas occur in a strikingly distinct climate space compared to savannas on Africa, Australia, and South America, and are unique in having wide ranging tree basal areas.Future directionsGrass‐dominated ecosystems are increasingly recognized as being ancient and biologically diverse, yet threatened and undervalued. A new synthesis of savanna ecosystems considering their full range of distributions is needed to understand their ecology and conservation status. Interestingly, the closest analogues to North American savannas and their relatives in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean may be Asian savannas, which also contain mesic fire‐driven pine savannas and have been similarly neglected in existing global syntheses.

Impact of land use and land cover change on land surface temperature over Lake Tana Basin

Isolation of climate and Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes and their compounded effect is complicated since the two influence each other through forcing-feedback cycles. This study investigates the changes in LULC and its contribution to the change in surface and air temperature in the Lake Tana Basin using data obtained from MODIS remote sensing satellites, ground observation and reanalysis model. Observation minus reanalysis (OMR) method and various analysis tools are used to estimate the impact of LULC changes on temperature. The analysis of LULC change indicates that an increase of Savanna and other type of forest cover by about 519 km2 from year 2001 to year 2020. Wetland increased by about 83.7 km2 during the said period. During the period 2001–2020, about 56.5% baren-land areas are being converted into wetland. The conversion of water bodies and baren land to wetland is likely due to the increase of water hyacinth on both the water body and nearby baren-land whereas the increase in Savanna is linked to an on-going eucalyptus tree plantation. The negative correlation between LST and NDVI (reaching a value of −0.60) is noticed over the Basin throughout the year on inter-annual time scale. An increase in vegetation cover such as Savanna and broad leaf forest coincides with the decreasing LST with an average rate of 0.08%/decade. Also, a reduction in temperature, derived from OMR, at an average cooling rate of about 0.87%/decade is observed in the study period. However, an increase in the LST change rate over built-up and grassland is about 0.03%/decade. Therefore, we conclude that the consistent associations of the increase in areal coverage of the some LULC types with lowest LSTs, 2m-temperature and temperature trend derived from NDVI-LST and LULC-LST associations as well as OMR temperature and LST are unambiguous signatures of the effect of LULC change on temperature over Lake Tana Basin, distinct from that arising due to climate change.

Effects of long‐term fixed fire regimes on African savanna vegetation biomass, vertical structure and tree stem density

Abstract Fire plays an integral role in shaping the vegetation structure of savanna ecosystems. However, the effects of fire regime characteristics, such as frequency and season of burn, on savanna vegetation structure, biomass and tree abundance across landscape types are largely unknown. We used high‐resolution airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to investigate the long‐term effects of fire manipulation on savanna vegetation in Kruger National Park, South Africa. We analysed the effects of fire exclusion and experimental burns every 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 years and during different seasons on aboveground biomass (AGB), tree stem densities and vegetation vertical height profiles across a rainfall gradient and on contrasting geologies. Across savanna types, and especially in drier savannas, fire season was more influential for constraining AGB than fire frequency. Plots experiencing fires during the late‐ and mid‐dry season had 44.50% and 43.60%, respectively, lower AGB relative to unburnt plots than wet‐season fires. However, in mesic savannas, fire frequency interacted with fire season to influence AGB: plots subjected to high frequency, dry‐season fires had 55.35% lower AGB than unburnt plots, whereas plots burnt in the wet season at lower frequencies had lower AGB (24.40% lower than unburnt plots) than plots subjected to high frequency, wet‐season fires (13.74% lower AGB than unburnt plots). Fire regimes had variable effects on tree densities, and effects varied with the savanna type. Woody vertical vegetation profiles showed the largest differences in response to dry‐season fires, with the greatest divergence in vegetation height classes <5 m. Synthesis and applications. Understanding the influence of fire regimes on vegetation structure has important implications for the management of savanna heterogeneity and for predicting trajectories of change in savanna vegetation as fire regimes vary with climate change. We show that the magnitude of the effect of fire on woody vegetation structure varies with savanna context. Our results suggest that heterogeneous vegetation structure can be achieved by applying fires in the dry season in mesic savannas, whereas in dry savannas, variation in fire regimes is less consequential for constraining biomass accumulation and altering vegetation structure.

Landscape dynamics of the aeolian savanna: Santos Luzardo National Park 1988–2018

This research defines the savanna aeolian landscape dynamics of the ‘Santos Luzardo’ National Park in the Llanos of Venezuela between 1988 and 2018, using images from the LANDSAT series to elaborate and compare ecosystems maps. The ecosystem dynamics show that the landscape changes naturally since the transitions occurred towards other types of natural savanna due to soil water seasonality. The savannas are the dominant matrix of the landscape, occupying between 69.1 and 76.7%. The dynamics of transformation of the aeolian savanna landscape are mainly associated with soil water content. The application of temporal studies contributes to understanding the aeolian savanna landscape transformation processes and evaluating their conservation status.

Species-Specific Responses of Medium and Large Mammals to Fire Regime Attributes in a Fire-Prone Neotropical Savanna

Fire occurrence affects the distribution of key resources for fauna in natural ecosystems worldwide. For fire management strategies adequate for biodiversity conservation, the understanding of how species respond to fire-induced changes is essential. In this study, we investigated the role of fire regimes on spaces used by medium and large mammals at multiple spatial scales (0.8 ha to 78.5 ha) in a fire-prone savanna ecosystem (Brazilian Cerrado). We sampled mammals using 60 camera traps distributed in 30 sampling units located in grassland and typical savanna formations. We applied single-species occupancy models and AIC-based model selection to assess how mammals use the space in response to pyrodiversity (both diversity of fire frequencies and diversity of fire ages), the proportion of recently burned area, and the proportion of long-unburned area while accounting for detectability. Our results showed that fire regime variables affected the study species differently. Deer species used the space regardless of mosaic pyrodiversity and the proportion of specific fire ages. Fire-related variables, however, affected space use by tapirs and maned wolves. Tapirs preferred to use fire mosaics with lower diversity of fire frequencies, whereas maned wolves more intensively used mosaics with high fire age diversity and a high proportion of recently burned areas. Based on our findings, we recommend that fire management targeting specific mammal species should not necessarily focus on maximum pyrodiversity. Instead, we suggest a management strategy combining “patch mosaic burning” with the maintenance of specific fire-age patches suitable for different species’ requirements.

Ecological and economic significance of the Middle Don sand arenas

The research purpose is a comprehensive assessment of the Middle part of the Don river sand massifs soil and hydrological conditions. The research objects are the sandy massifs of the Middle Don on an area of 527 thousand hectares. The sand arenas water balance dynamics for the period from November to March and for the period from April to October has been revealed. It has been established that atmospheric precipitation is the main source of river water supply. The basis of river systems flood filling are clay soils that form an intra-soil runoff. The low water period level is supported by sandy soils. A decrease in the density of plant formations contributes to an increase in groundwater supply. The total underground runoff reaches 599 million m3 from the sandy massifs of the Middle Don. The volume and dynamics of the moisture movement in the soil depend on the system of sandy areas use. Therefore, the load on sandy arenas should be regulated. Pasture farming should remain the dominant form of sand use. An effective method of sandy arenas afforestation is the planting of pine plantations according to the savanna type.

ANALISIS VEGETASI PENYUSUN HUTAN SAVANA TAMAN WISATA ALAM PULAU MENIPO KABUPATEN KUPANG NTT

Indonesia Biodiversity Wealth is the savanna ecosystem of Menipo Island Nature Tourism Park (TWA). The Savanna type on Menipo Island has similarities with savanna in Africa which includes tropical savanna. The Savanna ecosystem on Menipo Island has an important role in supporting the food needs of herbivorous animals such as deer (Cervus timorensis). Therefore, reduction and decrease in Savanna quality and quantity will reduce herbivore population. Stresses on savanna ecosystems have a major impact on balance and entire ecosystem preservation. There are seven vegetation types that make up savanna on Menipo Island, with three seedling level types, three sapling types, six pole types, and three tree types. The method used is observation, collecting data, and interview. The research result is the vegetation types of vegetation savanna forest in the Menipo island natural tourism park are 7 types with the constituent levels for seedlings consisting of 3 types, 3 types of piles, 6 types of pile levels, and 3 types of tree levels. Key Words : Method, Seedlings, Savanna, Saplings, Trees, Poles

Climate change aggravates anthropogenic threats of the endangered savanna tree Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae) in Burkina Faso

Species distribution modelling is gaining popularity due to significant habitat shifts in many plant and animal species caused by climate change. This issue is particularly pressing for species that provide significant ecosystem goods and services. A prominent case is the valuable African rosewood tree (Pterocarpus erinaceus) that is threatened in sub-Saharan Africa, while its present distribution, habitat requirements and the impact of climate change are not fully understood. This native species naturally occurs in various savanna types, but anthropogenic interventions have considerably reduced its natural populations in the past decades. In this study, ensemble modelling was used to predict the current and future distribution potential of the species in Burkina Faso. Fifty-four environmental variables were selected to describe its distribution in the years 2050 and 2070 based on the greenhouse gas concentration trajectories RCP4.5 and 8.5, and the general circulation models CNRM-CM5 and HadGEM2-CC. A network of protected areas in Burkina Faso was also included to assess how many of the suitable habitats may contribute to the conservation of the species. The factors isothermality (31%), minimum temperature of coldest month (31%), pH in H2O at horizon 0–5 cm (11%), silt content at horizon 60–100 cm (9.2%) and precipitation of warmest quarter (8%) were the most influential distribution drivers for the species. Under current climate conditions, potentially highly suitable habitats cover an area of 129,695 km2, i.e., 47% of Burkina Faso. The projected distribution under RCP4.5 and 8.5 showed that this area will decrease, and that the decline of the species will be pronounced. The two models used in this study, forecast a habitat loss of up to 61% for P. erinaceus. Hence, development and implementation of a conservation programme are required to save the species in its native range. This study will help land managers prioritise areas for protection of the species, and avoid introducing it to inappropriate areas unless suitable conditions are artificially created through the management options applied.

Resistance of termite mounds to variation in long-term fire regimes across semi-arid African savannas.

Fire regimes are expected to change with climate change, resulting in a crucial need to understand the specific ways in which variable fire regimes impact important contributors to ecosystem functioning, such as mound-building termites. Termite mounds and fire are both important agents of savanna ecosystem heterogeneity and functioning, but there is little understanding of how they interact across savanna types. We used very high-resolution LiDAR remote sensing to measure the size and distribution of termite mounds across approximately 1300 ha of experimental burn plots in four South African savanna landscapes representing a wide range of fire treatments differing in seasonality and frequency of burning. In nutrient-poor granitic savannas, fire had no impact on termite mound size, densities and spatial distributions. In nutrient-rich basaltic savannas with high mammalian herbivore abundance and intermediate rainfall, very frequent fires caused a decrease in termite mound size, whereas in arid nutrient-rich basaltic savannas, fires that occurred at intermediate frequencies and in transitional seasons (i.e. late dry season and late wet season) decreased the degree of spatial overdispersal exhibited by mounds. Overall, our results suggest that termite mounds are resistant to variation in fire seasonality and frequency, likely indicating that ecosystem services provided by mound-building termites will be unaffected by changing fire regimes. However, consideration of changes to termite mound size and distribution could be necessary for land managers in specific savanna types, such as nutrient-rich soils with high mammalian herbivore abundance.

Grass species litter have varied trait response to the photodegradation and microbial decomposition in tropical savanna grasslands, South Africa

Purpose of the paper: This paper evaluated the effects of microbial and photodegradation on the ten grass species in a tropical grassland ecosystem in South Africa. Despite continuous necromass accumulation in tropical grasslands, the process that governs how the grass litter gets to the soil has often been ignored. In the absence of fire, abiotic factors and biotic factors are drivers of this process of nutrient cycling. Methods and approaches: A classical litterbag experiment was set up to simulate photodegradation (standing litter) versus microbial (soil surface) decomposition using 10 savanna types of grass from the start of the dry season until the beginning of spring. The rates of photodegradation versus microbial decomposition were compared for tropical savanna grasses and plant traits or predictors of decomposition were also investigated. Main results: The results showed that the grass litter decomposed more rapidly when exposed to the activity of soil microbes at the soil surface (k = 0.0028 ) than when held above ground (k = 0.0018) and subjected to photodegradation only. However, examination of the individual litter species revealed up to 4 fold variation between the slowest (0.0001) and fastest (0.006) decomposing species. Differences in decomposition rates were more pronounced for litter decomposed at the soil surface than held above the soil surface. Multiple linear regression analyses did not resolve clear differences between measures of litter quality as drivers of decomposition in the two treatments. Implications: Photodegradation appeared to be a rate-controlling step during the process of decomposition in tropical savanna grasslands. Therefore grasslands dominated by photodegradation-resistant grasses were likely to need fire to get rid of moribund litter, which may be the reason why mesic grasslands need to burn to recycle nutrients.

Net Primary Production and Ecosystem Carbon Flux of Brazilian Tropical Savanna Ecosystems From Eddy Covariance and Inventory Methods

AbstractEstimates of net primary (NPP) and ecosystem production (NEP) are needed for tropical savanna, which is structurally diverse but understudied compared to tropical rainforest. We used eddy covariance and inventory methods to estimate carbon (C) fluxes for an upland mixed grassland and a seasonally flooded forest to determine the correspondence between these methods and assess the contribution of C cycling components to the total NPP. Both techniques provided similar estimates of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (−3.0 ‒ 2.3 MgC ha−1 y−1 for eddy covariance vs. −2.0 ‒ 4.3 MgC ha−1 y−1 for inventory), gross primary production (7.5–16.3 MgC ha−1 y−1 for eddy covariance vs. 8.7–18.4 MgC ha−1 y−1 for inventory), and total NPP (0.9–7.5 MgC ha−1 y−1 for eddy covariance vs. 2.0–9.5 MgC ha−1 y−1 for inventory). Belowground NPP accounted for 49%–53% of the total NPP for both ecosystems, followed by aboveground litter (26%–27%) and wood (16%–17%) production. Increases in water availability increased the potential for C storage, but the mechanism was different in the savanna types. Compared to other savanna ecosystems, the mixed grassland had a lower productivity and C use efficiency (CUE = NPP/GPP = 0.28), while the Cerrado forest had a high CUE (0.58) and similar C flux rates to other tropical savanna forests. The agreement in the C cycle estimates derived from the eddy covariance and inventory methods increases our confidence in the productivity estimates for these tropical savanna ecosystems.

Amphibian diversity in urban and peri-urban landscapes of Benin City, a Southern Nigerian City in the rainforest biotope

Benin City, the capital of Edo State of Nigeria has undergone tremendous changes in recent times, especially with the aggressive rate of urbanisation in the last two decades. This has invariably resulted in habitat loss and fragmentation for the amphibian community of the city and its environs. In order to determine the effect of urbanization on the amphibian diversity of the area, a survey was undertaken between July 2009 and July 2010 using Visual and Acoustic Encounter Survey method. Higher species diversity and richness was observed from the peri-urban compared to the urban areas. However, the abundance of amphibian in the urban zone was significantly higher than that of the peri-urban zone (p<0.05). Hyperolius concolor phases A and C, H. sylvaticus, Afrixalus nigeriensis and A. vittiger were restricted to the peri-urban area while Ptychadena pumilio and Sclerophrys maculata occurred more in the urban areas. The most dominant species was S. maculata (26.6%) while the least dominant species was A. vittiger (0.22%). Peri-urban areas contributed 53% while the urban zone contributed 47% to total abundance. More tree frogs were collected from the peri-urban than the urban sites, which could be due to the reduced vegetation cover in the latter. However, the paucity of tree frogs in the urban zone did not have any significant impact on the taxa differences between the two zones. The abundance of P. pumilio and P. mascareniensis, which are typical savanna frogs is an indication of the degraded nature of the study area. The low records of A. poecilonotus, A. vittiger and H. concolor phase A and the complete absence of forest-dependent species could be due to their inability to tolerate human influence on the environment. There is need for balance in the use of land resources for urbanization and amphibian conservation.

Do natural ecosystems differ in terms of some soil physical properties? Savanna vs native grassland

While numerous studies demonstrated the reduction effect of infiltration changes with natural vegetation conversion to croplands, few information is available examining inherent differences between natural ecosystems. We examined the steady state infiltration rate and other topsoil properties in two adjacent native ecosystem types (of the Brazilian tropical savanna) occurring under a similar soil type (oxisol), a native grassland and a savanna. We found a significantly higher steady state infiltration rate in the savanna (698 ± 521 mm h−1) compared to native grassland (413 ± 181 mm h−1). All soil properties were significantly different when comparing both ecosystem types indicating that higher topsoil permeability in the savanna is potentially related to higher organic matter content, lower bulk density, and lower penetration resistance. Previous studies have documented differences in soil hydraulic properties between natural and anthropogenic ecosystems under a similar soil type. Here we showed that such differences can also occur among natural ecosystems.

Flammability in tropical savannas: Variation among growth forms and seasons in Cerrado

AbstractThe herbaceous layer is the dominant fuel for fire in tropical savannas, the world's most fire‐prone biome. However, little is known about variation in flammability among different growth forms, as well as how flammability varies seasonally. Here, we describe such variation in Brazilian Cerrado, the world's most phytodiverse tropical savanna. We measured three components of flammability (maximum burning temperature, burning rate, and burnt biomass) and morphophysiological traits (dead biomass percentage, moisture content, and specific leaf area) of five species of each of grasses, forbs, and shrubs throughout the wet and dry season. We found that grasses were the most flammable growth form and that their flammability was highest in the middle of the dry season when the percentage of dead biomass was highest (60%), and moisture content was low (25%). Flammability did not vary across seasons for either forbs or shrubs. Dead biomass, moisture content, and specific leaf area were all strongly correlated with flammability. These findings explain the dominant role played by grasses as drivers of flammability in tropical savannas, and they improve our understanding of how savanna flammability varies across space and time depending on the composition of the grass layer and its level of seasonal curing. This enables a better prediction of fire spread and behavior in different savanna types based on grass‐layer composition.

Woody plant encroachment constrains regeneration of ground‐layer species in a neotropical savanna from seeds

AbstractWoody plants have been encroaching into savannas on a global scale. Global climatic changes, along with changes to disturbance regimes, are considered to be the main drivers of this process. Particularly, many formerly open physiognomies of the Brazilian savanna have become encroached by woody species over the course of a few decades under fire suppression. In this scenario, many typical savanna species of the ground‐layer are reducing their above‐ground presence, possibly due to change in environmental filtering as a result of encroachment. Consequently, at encroachment sites, changes to microhabitats occur, such as less incident light to the soil surface, reduced red:far‐red ratios and soil surface temperatures, and increased litter deposition. These changes may hinder the regenerative capacity of ground‐layer savanna species. This study investigated the role of encroachment‐induced environmental changes as filters for the recruitment ability of ground‐layer savanna species. We examined the germination and seedling emergence of 12 species under controlled conditions, simulating natural aspects of encroached and non‐encroached sites of the Brazilian savanna. The germination and/or seedling emergence of all species examined were/was negatively affected by the simulated environmental filtering changes. Increased litter deposition reduced seedling emergence more than temperature and light affected germination. Filtering changes caused by woody encroachment represent a bottleneck for the regeneration from seeds of ground‐layer savanna species. Filtering changes by woody encroachment is one of the underlying mechanism explaining changes in species presence in savannas, and it ultimately leads to positive feedback loops wherein woody encroachment begets more woody encroachment.

Experimental drought suppresses grass productivity and passive warming promotes tree sapling performance: Insights from African savanna species

Warming as well as increasingly frequent and severe droughts under climate change are expected to have global impacts on vegetation. We examined the independent and interactive effects of water availability and warming on the growth of savanna grasses and tree saplings. We used a widespread C4 grass species Eragrostis curvula, and a native woody encroacher, Vachellia sieberiana, in South Africa. We simulated a typical savanna microhabitat by planting tree species within a grass matrix, in 45 L containers. Watering treatments were applied weekly as drought (minus 40% of the long-term average), normal (same amount as the long-term average), and excess (addition of 40% of the long-term average). Passive warming was achieved using open-top chambers. We found that water availability was the main limiting factor for grass productivity, with low grass biomass attained under drought treatments. Warming had no significant effect on grass productivity, but had a large positive effect on tree sapling growth and performance when coupled with excess or normal water treatments. Tree sapling root: shoot ratios were highest in the drought treatment, possibly as an adaptation to low water-supply. Specific leaf area was higher with warming than ambient, further elucidating the positive effect of increased temperature for tree growth. Drought has important negative implications for grass productivity, and may reduce the competitive effects of grasses on trees, particularly during the early sapling stage, when competition for resources between tree saplings and grasses are maximised. Coupled with increased performance of trees under warmer conditions, future climate change may further promote tree establishment, especially in areas where rainfall is limiting.

Can our current knowledge and practice allow ecological restoration in the Cerrado?

Ecological knowledge plays a significant role in ensuring efficient ecological restoration. We conducted a systematic review to assess if sufficient ecological knowledge has been accumulated to aid restoration practices for the Cerrado, a Brazilian biome dominated by savanna ecosystems and threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. Most Cerrado restoration studies were performed by few research groups and focused primarily on two vegetation types: cerrado sensu stricto (typical savanna) and riparian forest. We also found that defining reference ecosystems and selecting plant species for restoration programs is neglected, mostly disregarding their original occurrence and proportion of plant growth forms. Furthermore, studies lacked standardized and systematic evaluation of restoration outcomes. Hence, we argue that current ecological knowledge is insufficient to guarantee the success of large-scale ecological restoration of the Cerrado. We strengthen the need to explicitly define the reference ecosystem for each Cerrado ecosystem and use its structure and composition as guidance for ecological restoration research, which should be based on a scientific approach. We encourage investigations into ecological dynamics and natural regeneration of the different vegetation types of the Cerrado and highlight the importance of integrating such knowledge with environmental laws, societal engagement and cost-effective techniques to advance Cerrado ecological restoration.

Moving far from water: unusual dispersal movement of the water opossum (Chironectes minimus: Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in central Brazil

Abstract: Unusual movements of an animal can potentially represent a dispersal event. A higher frequency of young males dispersing is a pattern observed for most part of polygynous or promiscuous mammals with these dispersion events occurring, mainly, before or at the beginning of the breeding season. The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), the only marsupial adapted for semi-aquatic life, occurs from Mexico to Argentina and it has been mostly described as a sensitive species to river and riparian vegetation degradation, occurring exclusively near water curses. Here we describe the first record of long-distance movement of a water opossum not associated with riverine vegetation through dry land. We captured a healthy adult male of C. minimus in July 2012 beside of a highway (DF-001) located 1,100 m from nearest gallery forest in the Federal District. The region is characterized by urban and suburban residential, small fragments of typical savanna and degraded gallery forests. Our unique record could be an event of dispersion through degraded dry lands as observed for other semi-aquatic mammals and also suggests that this species is more resistant to anthropogenic disturbances than previously described. Also, information about dispersal patterns of water opossum is scarce and may contributes to a deeper understanding of ecological requirements of this species.