Understanding the natural regeneration of vegetation after degradation is necessary to evaluate the passive restoration method, and is important to support active restoration. Little is known about plant community assembly in savannas that lost their resprouting ability, such as in mined or intensified agriculture and silviculture areas. We analyzed the life form cover, graminoids community composition, and the regeneration traits of indicator species in degraded and conserved areas in the Brazilian savanna. We sampled the vegetation cover, and investigated the regeneration traits by analyzing seed mass and production, resprouting structures/vegetative reproduction, and life cycle. Colonization in degraded areas occurred especially by graminoids, which contributed >75% in terms of cover in areas degraded by eucalyptus plantation, and 37% in areas degraded by mining. Subshrubs, shrubs, and vines contributed at lower proportions to vegetation cover, and trees showed the lowest colonization. The graminoid communities presented different species composition across land types. Indicator species of severely degraded areas had high production of light seeds and no underground resprouting structures (Aristida setifolia and Aristida glaziovii). Indicator species of conserved and less degraded areas had moderate production of intermediate-mass seeds and basal rhizomes, Mesosetum loliiforme. Indicator species of conserved areas had low production of heavy seeds and basal rhizomes, Trachypogon spicatus. Such variety of niches can be used as a tool for the ecological restoration of the Cerrado, by consorting species with different responses to degradation and functions to restoration.