New insights on palaeofires and savannisation in northern South America

Understanding the origin and ecological dynamics of tropical savannas in terms of natural and human drivers of change is a hot topic that may be crucial for conservation. The case of the Gran Sabana (GS), a huge savanna island within the Amazon-Orinoco rainforests, is presented as a pilot study for the Neotropics. A vivid debate exists on whether or not forests formerly covered the GS and on the potential role of anthropogenic fires in the...