Fire and frost can slow down tree colonization in cerrado wet grasslands

Abstract Forests, savannas, and grasslands occur as mosaics in many tropical regions, yet the drivers of different vegetation types under similar climates remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated fire and frost as potential constraints on tree establishment in a cerrado wet grassland at the transition from gallery forests to savannas. We planted nursery-raised seedlings of three species: one restricted to gallery forests, one to dry savannas, and one generalist. Five months later, a frost aff