Instruct: Identify the main category of Biorxiv papers based on the titles and abstracts
Query: Pathways of savannization in a mesic African savanna-forest mosaic O_LIFires in savannas limit tree cover, thereby promoting flammable grass accumulation and fuelling further frequent fires. Meanwhile, forests and thickets form dense canopies that reduce C4-grass fuel loads and creating a humid microclimate, thereby excluding fires under typical climatic conditions.
C_LIO_LIHowever, extreme fires occasionally burn into these closed-canopy systems. Although these rare fires cause substantial tree mortality and can make repeat fires more likely, the long-term consequences of an extreme fire for closed canopy vegetation structure and potential to convert to savanna (hereafter "savannization") remain largely unknown.
C_LIO_LIHere, we analysed whether an extreme fire could, alone, alter species composition, vegetation structure, and fire regimes of closed-canopy ecosystems in an intact savanna-forest-thicket mosaic, or whether successive fires after an initial extreme fire were necessary to trigger a biome transition between from forest to savanna.
C_LIO_LIWe found that forests that only burned once recovered, whereas those that burned again following an initial extreme fire transitioned from closed-canopy forests towards open, grassy savannas.
C_LIO_LIWhile thickets had less tree mortality in fires than forests, repeat fires nonetheless precipitated a transition towards savannas.
C_LIO_LIColonization of the savanna tree community lagged behind the grass community, but also began to transition.
C_LI

SynthesisOur results suggest that rare extreme fires, followed by repeated burning can indeed result in savannization in places where savanna and forest represent alternative stable states.
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The categories of this paper are: physiology
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The categories of this paper are: neuroscience
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The categories of this paper are: pharmacology
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The categories of this paper are: biophysics
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The categories of this paper are: bioengineering
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The categories of this paper are: molecular
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The categories of this paper are: biochemistry
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The categories of this paper are: cancer
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The categories of this paper are: toxicology
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The categories of this paper are: biology
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The categories of this paper are: immunology
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The categories of this paper are: plant
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The categories of this paper are: developmental
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The categories of this paper are: animal
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The categories of this paper are: behavior
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The categories of this paper are: cell