Fire in the Pantanal

Fire in the Pantanal

Fire is not something that one typical thinks of when they hear the word "wetland." But as we've learned in class, the Pantanal is a special place. Here fire is a common natural occurrence, happening in the height of the dry season, during August and September. Fire is an important feature of cerrado ecosystems (the predominant ecosystem to the east of the Pantanal, and which extends somewhat into the Pantanal), where grasses and short woody shrubs dominate the vegetation.

Fire in the Pantanal

Many of the plants in the Pantanal are well-adapted to dealing with fire. Grasses and other plants invest a lot in underground production and storage, so that they are able to regrow rapidly after fire has cleared the land. Some of the trees have developed a mechanism to produce seeds after burning, allowing seeds to germinate at the ideal time when little else is established and they can use the nutrients from the ash. Animals in the Pantanal can simply deal with fire by moving to the lower, wetter parts which are harder to burn, thereby escaping from danger until the fire passes.

-Palani