Time since the last fire and climate seasonality reveal rhythmic and annual growth rates of Cerrado’s woody plants

Woody plants in the Cerrado grow through annual growth units formed from buds with preformed structures that elongate during the rainy season. The extent of this growth varies among species and individual life histories. Fire, a frequent disturbance, stimulates the production of larger growth units. This response indicates that woody plants can rapidly rebuild aboveground biomass after burning, likely supported by stored carbohydrates and the release of apical dominance. These patterns highlight the resilience of Cerrado vegetation. To deepen our understanding of tropical plant development, future work should relate growth units to species phenology, rainfall variability, and vegetation types.