Adorno Bruno F C B, Piratelli Augusto J, Hasui Erica, Ribeiro Milton C, Vaz Pedro G
Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil; CE3C-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE, Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, C2, Piso 5, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
Departamento de Ciências Ambientais/CCTS, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
J Environ Manage. 2025 Feb;374:124066. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124066. Epub 2025 Jan 12.
Fires are increasingly affecting tropical biomes, where landscape-fire interactions remain understudied. We investigate the fire-proneness-the likelihood of a land use or land cover (LULC) type burning more or less than expected based on availability-in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF). This biodiversity hotspot is increasingly affected by fires due to human activities and climate change. Using a selection ratio-based approach, we analyzed fire-LULC interactions in 40,869 fires over a 35-year period (1987-2022) across various ecoregions in the AF. Our findings revealed that secondary forests, forest areas that have regrown after major disturbances, burned 61% more than expected by chance, whereas old-growth forests, native forests that have developed over very long periods, burned 57% less than expected, highlighting a nearly inverse relationship in their fire-proneness. Interestingly, our data indicate that pastures in the AF are less prone to fire than expected, despite being considered among the land uses that burn the most in Brazil. Other LULCs showed variable fire-proneness, with some differences between ecoregions. Over time, the fire-proneness of secondary forests decreased, likely due to forest aging and changes in land management practices. We emphasize the necessity for tailored fire management strategies that address the unique vulnerabilities of secondary forests, particularly in the context of ongoing restoration efforts aimed at increasing native forests. Effective measures, including the implementation of 'fire-smart management' practices and enhancing the perceived value of secondary forests among local communities, are crucial for mitigating fire risks. Integrating these strategies with incentive-based approaches can bolster fire prevention, ensuring the long-term success of restoration programs. Our study provides a framework for understanding fire-landscape dynamics in tropical forests and offers actionable insights for practitioners working to safeguard these biomes from the escalating threat of wildfires.
火灾对热带生物群落的影响日益加剧，而该地区景观与火灾之间的相互作用仍未得到充分研究。我们对巴西大西洋森林（AF）的火灾易发性进行了调查，火灾易发性是指一种土地利用或土地覆盖（LULC）类型基于可利用性燃烧次数高于或低于预期的可能性。由于人类活动和气候变化，这个生物多样性热点地区正日益受到火灾的影响。我们采用基于选择比率的方法，分析了35年期间（1987 - 2022年）AF不同生态区域内40,869起火灾中的火灾与LULC的相互作用。我们的研究结果显示，次生林（在重大干扰后重新生长的林区）的燃烧次数比随机预期多61%，而原始林（经过很长时间发展起来的原生林）的燃烧次数比预期少57%，这凸显了它们在火灾易发性方面几乎呈相反的关系。有趣的是，我们的数据表明，尽管AF的牧场被认为是巴西燃烧最严重的土地利用类型之一，但实际上其火灾易发性低于预期。其他LULC类型表现出不同的火灾易发性，不同生态区域之间存在一些差异。随着时间的推移，次生林的火灾易发性降低，这可能是由于森林老化和土地管理方式的变化。我们强调需要制定针对性的火灾管理策略，以应对次生林的独特脆弱性，特别是在当前旨在增加原生林的恢复努力的背景下。包括实施“明智的火灾管理”措施以及提高当地社区对次生林的认知价值在内的有效措施，对于降低火灾风险至关重要。将这些策略与基于激励的方法相结合，可以加强火灾预防，确保恢复计划的长期成功。我们的研究提供了一个理解热带森林火灾 - 景观动态的框架，并为致力于保护这些生物群落免受野火不断升级威胁的从业者提供了可操作的见解。
