Unveiling the hidden reserves: allocation strategies associated with underground organs of Cerrado legumes in fire-prone savannas.

The synthesis and differential allocation of reserve compounds is an important adaptive mechanism that enables species to resprout in fire-prone ecosystems. The analysis of compound allocation dynamics (differential accumulation of compounds between plant organs) provides insights into plant responses to disturbances. The aim was to quantify reserves in eight legume species from Cerrado open savannas with high fire frequency in order to investigate the patterns of allocation and distribution of compounds between leaves and underground organs, drawing ecophysiological inferences.