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<p>African savannas are experiencing a rapid decline in burned area, often entailing a simplification of landscape pyrodiversity. We used virtual landscapes generated from data collected in a multi-decadal fire experiment to test how pyrodiversity (measured as spatial variation in fire frequency) shapes multiple dimensions of three savannas spanning a rainfall gradient in South Africa. Results provide empirical evidence that pyrodiversity begets diversity across structural, functional, and taxonomic dimensions, especially at precipitation ≥650 mm yr<sup>⁻1</sup>. The positive effects of pyrodiversity arise because patches with different fire frequencies form a diverse landscape mosaic. Critically, the highest woody encroachment, carbon storage, soil nitrogen and woody species diversity was found in low fire frequency patches. On the contrary, the most diverse ground vegetation communities were detected in frequently burned patches. Our findings emphasize the importance of pyrodiversity-based management for maintaining ecosystem diversity and associated services in the face of ongoing environmental changes.</p>

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Ecosystem diversity in southern African savannas is fueled by pyrodiversity

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月4日

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  • Víctor Fernández-García,
  • Tercia Strydom,
  • Dave I. Thompson,
  • José Manuel Fernández-Guisuraga,
  • Cristina Santín

摘要

African savannas are experiencing a rapid decline in burned area, often entailing a simplification of landscape pyrodiversity. We used virtual landscapes generated from data collected in a multi-decadal fire experiment to test how pyrodiversity (measured as spatial variation in fire frequency) shapes multiple dimensions of three savannas spanning a rainfall gradient in South Africa. Results provide empirical evidence that pyrodiversity begets diversity across structural, functional, and taxonomic dimensions, especially at precipitation ≥650 mm yr⁻1. The positive effects of pyrodiversity arise because patches with different fire frequencies form a diverse landscape mosaic. Critically, the highest woody encroachment, carbon storage, soil nitrogen and woody species diversity was found in low fire frequency patches. On the contrary, the most diverse ground vegetation communities were detected in frequently burned patches. Our findings emphasize the importance of pyrodiversity-based management for maintaining ecosystem diversity and associated services in the face of ongoing environmental changes.