Evidence for Adaptation to Fire Regimes in the Tropical Savannas of the Brazilian Cerrado

Research challenges the conventional view that fire-resistant traits in Cerrado plants evolved primarily due to drought or nutrient-deficient soils. Instead, it suggests these traits—such as thick bark and root sprouting—are adaptations to fire regimes, supported by phylogenetic evidence showing their emergence coincided with the rise of flammable C4 grasses and savanna expansion. The study highlights that these traits are absent in related lineages from fire-free environments with similar soil conditions, reinforcing their link to fire adaptation. This finding implies a low evolutionary barrier for lineages entering the Cerrado, likely due to the ease of adapting to fire regimes.

Simon, M. F., & Pennington, T. (2012). Evidence for Adaptation to Fire Regimes in the Tropical Savannas of the Brazilian Cerrado. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 173(6), 711–723. https://doi.org/10.1086/665973