Vegetation structure across fire edges in a Neotropical rain forest

摘要: Abstract Human-induced wildfires are one of the greatest threats to tropical forest and predicted increase in importance due altered regimes associated with climate change. Wildfires promote high tree mortality, thus modifying structure composition, lead habitat loss fragmentation. may also have effects on adjacent unburnt areas edge influence; conversely, proximity stands favor regeneration burnt areas. We evaluated wildfire Brazilian Atlantic remnants. established 244 plots along eight 360 m-long transects distributed among three patches, where we measured structural attributes overstory, understory, deadwood. The promoted very mortality trees, saplings, lianas, changing substantially structure. Our analyses showed clear differences between but no gradients, highlighting incipient stage influence-related processes. Neotropical bracken fern Pteridium arachnoideum was dominant areas, which can possibly arrest secondary succession. results highlight as a menace Forests remnants, well rainforests elsewhere - an ever-rising concern future increased fire frequency.