Expanding tropical forest spells disaster for conservation

Expanding forests suck up CO2 from the atmosphere,

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but the plants and animals from savannas struggle to cope in the leafier environments. Encroaching forest resulted in major losses of plant and ant species in those areas over the last 30 years - with the most susceptible plants and ants losing massive numbers of species.

William Hoffmann, professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State and co-corresponding author of a paper on biodiversity in the Brazilian Cerrado, said that the study shows the importance of fire to the savanna. Savannas - pure grasslands and grasslands dotted with trees - cover about 20 percent of the earth's land; the Brazilian Cerrado is considered the earth's most biodiverse savanna.

The plant and animal species of savannas are highly adapted to frequent fires and high light," Hoffmann said. "Shady conditions are an enemy to these savanna dwellers. Many of these plant species just can't persist in a forest. However, fire suppression has taken root in Brazil, so there is a reluctance to allow fires - even to promote the health of the savanna."

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-08-tropical-forest-disaster.html#jCp