Biogeosciences
Biogeosciences
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Articles | Volume 12, issue 18
Articles | Volume 12, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-5563-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-5563-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 12, issue 18
Peer-reviewed comment
 | 
30 Sep 2015
Peer-reviewed comment |  | 30 Sep 2015

Sharp ecotones spark sharp ideas: comment on "Structural, physiognomic and above-ground biomass variation in savanna–forest transition zones on three continents – how different are co-occurring savanna and forest formations?" by Veenendaal et al. (2015)

A. Staal and B. M. Flores
How to cite. Staal, A. and Flores, B. M.: Sharp ecotones spark sharp ideas: comment on "Structural, physiognomic and above-ground biomass variation in savanna–forest transition zones on three continents – how different are co-occurring savanna and forest formations?" by Veenendaal et al. (2015), Biogeosciences, 12, 5563–5566, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-5563-2015, 2015.
Received: 12 Jun 2015 – Discussion started: 09 Jul 2015 – Revised: 16 Sep 2015 – Accepted: 22 Sep 2015 – Published: 30 Sep 2015
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Short summary
Remote sensing studies indicate that tropical forest and savanna can be alternative stable states maintained by a feedback between tree cover and fire. Veenendaal et al. (2015) attempted to refute this hypothesis with an extensive field study of the vegetation structure and soil conditions at forest–savanna transition zones. With a re-analysis of their data and a conceptual model, we show that in fact the results agree with the idea of forest–savanna bistability.
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