E Edulis ATION FLORA and VEGETATION
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337954825 FLORA AND VEGETATION STRUCTURE OF VEREDA IN SOUTHWESTERN CERRADO Article in Oecologia Australis · December 2019 DOI: 10.4257/oeco.2019.2304.06 CITATION READS 1 141 5 authors, including: Suzana Neves Moreira Vali Joana Pott Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul 19 PUBLICATIONS 246 CITATIONS 97 PUBLICATIONS 1,666 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Arnildo Pott Rosa Helena Silva Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul 211 PUBLICATIONS 2,654 CITATIONS 13 PUBLICATIONS 17 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Aquatic macrophytes in Paraguay River View project Monitoramento ambiental da Usina São Fernando, Dourados, MS, Brasil. View project All content following this page was uploaded by Suzana Neves Moreira on 06 February 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Oecologia Australis 23(4):776-798, 2019 https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2019.2304.06 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE THREATENED PALM Euterpe edulis Mart. IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION FLORA AND VEGETATION STRUCTURE OF VEREDA IN SOUTHWESTERN CERRADO Aline Cavalcante de Souza1* & Jayme Augusto Prevedello1 1 2 2 2 1 Suzana Neves Moreira *, Vali Joana Pott , Arnildo Pott , Rosa Helena da Silva & Geraldo Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Ecologia, Laboratório de Ecologia de 2 Paisagens, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Maracanã, CEP 20550-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Alves Damasceno Junior 1 E-mails: [email protected] (*corresponding author); [email protected] Universidade Estadual do Mato Grosso do Sul, Rua General Mendes de Moraes, 428, Centro, CEP 79400-000, Coxim, MS, Brazil. 2 Abstract: The combination of species distribution models based on climatic variables, with spatially explicit Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biociências, analyses of habitat loss, may produce valuable assessments of current species distribution in highly disturbed Cidade Universitária, Avenida Costa e Silva, s.n., Pioneiros, CEP 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. ecosystems. Here, we estimated the potential geographic distribution of the threatened palm Euterpe E-mails: [email protected] (*corresponding author); [email protected]; [email protected]; edulis Mart. (Arecaceae), an ecologically and economically important species inhabiting the Atlantic Forest [email protected]; [email protected] biodiversity hotspot. This palm is shade-tolerant, and its populations are restricted to the interior of forest E. edulis patches. The geographic distribution of has been reduced due to deforestation and overexploitation Abstract: This work was carried out aiming to evaluate phytosociological parameters and the influence of of its palm heart. To quantify the impacts of deforestation on the geographical distribution of this species, we topographic gradient and water levels on plant distribution in a vereda. That for, we sampled two sites (wet compared the potential distribution, estimated by climatic variables, with the current distribution of forest grassland and floodable transition to pond) in two seasons (rainy and dry). Along permanent transects, every patches. Potential distribution was quantified using five different algorithms (BIOCLIM, GLM, MaxEnt, 10 m we placed transversally four quadrats of 1 m2, 2 m apart, a total of 280 plots, to estimate percentage Random Forest and SVM). Forest cover in the biome was estimated for the year 2017, using a recently- cover of each species and water depth. To evaluate the influence of relief and flood level on plant distribution E. edulis released map with 30 m resolution. A total of 111 records were kept to model climatic suitability of , we performed a Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Analysis of Permutational Multivariate Variance varying from 6 to 1500 m a.s.l and spanning almost the entire latitudinal gradient covered by the Atlantic (PERMANOVA). We recorded 174 species, the richest families were Poaceae (40), Cyperaceae (25) and ca. Forest (from 7.72º S to 29.65º S). Based on climatic suitability alone, 93 million hectares, or 66% of the Asteraceae (14) and the richest genera Paspalum, Rhynchospora and Utricularia (8 each), Hyptis and Cyperus E. edulis area of the Atlantic Forest, would be suitable for the occurrence of . However, 76% of this climatically (6), Eleocharis, Ludwigia and Xyris (5). The phytosociological parameters revealed the importance of Poaceae, ca. suitable area was deforested. Therefore, currently, only 15% of the biome retains forest patches that are Cyperaceae and Asteraceae in these communities, corroborating other reports on veredas. We found discrete E. edulis E. edulis climatically suitable for . Our analyses show that has suffered a dramatic loss of potential difference in the species richness between sampling periods, in both wet grassland and transition areas. The distribution area in the Atlantic Forest due to widespread deforestation. Our results provided updated slope varied from 0 to 314 cm and was significant for species distribution in both seasons, with a continuum E. edulis information on the distribution of , and may be used to identify which forested and deforested areas related to waterlogging and surface water on the distinct topographic quotas. In general, we found discrete could receive priority in future conservation and restoration efforts. groupments of species, particularly in lower quotas. The main indicator species were the filiform Eriochrysis holcoides Rhynchospora emaciata Andropogon virgatus Keywords: climatic suitability; deforestation; habitat loss; palm heart; species distribution modelling. (Poales, Poaceae), (Poales, Poaceae), (Poales, Poaceae), Paspalum erianthoides (Poales, Poaceae) and P. flaccidum(Poales, Poaceae). Some species tend to be selective whilst others show plasticity regarding microhabitat. Keywords: marsh grassland; phytosociology; savanna; topographic gradient; wetland. INTRODUCTION 1986) and plays an important role in linking these vegetation types (Carvalho 1991). Veredas are The Cerrado domain is characterized by a legally defined as “physiognomy of savanna, found vegetation mosaic of savanna, forest and grassland on hydromorphic soils, usually with the arboreal (Felfili et al. 2004). According to Ribeiro & Walter palm Mauritia flexuosa (Arecales, Arecaceae) – (1998), the vereda is one of the physiognomies. This buriti, emergent, without forming continuous environment is interposed between Cerrado stricto canopy, intermingled with clumps of shrubby- sensu and gallery forest (Oliveira-Filho & Martins herbaceous species” (Brasil 2012). That rule also Moreira et al. | 777 considers Permanent Preservation Area (PPA) a distribution; (4) compare the floristic similarity minimum 50 m wide belt along veredas, after the between areas and seasons; (5) compare species limit of the swampy or waterlogged area. Although richness between areas. there is a law protecting veredas, considering them as PPAs, they undergo anthropic processes MATERIAL AND METHODS that may become irreversible (Oliveira et al. 2009) Study area since they are highly sensitive to disturbance and little resilient environments (Carvalho 1991). Our work was done in a vereda (20º33’24.1” S, Human disturbances in wetlands can be shown by 54º47’23.6” W, datum SAD69) at the Fazenda floristic changes, causing loss of biodiversity and Modelo, municipality of Terenos, Mato Grosso do consequent disruption of the ecosystem (Meirelles Sul state, Brazil. The area is at 550 m altitude and the et al. 2004). seasonal climate is Aw in the classification of Peel et The distribution of veredas is basically al. (2007). Monthly rainfall data were provided by a conditioned by physical factors, such as wet plain weather station, 30 km away, at the headquarters of surfaces or flat valleys, permeable surface layer over Embrapa Beef Cattle Research Center. The original an impermeable subsoil, water saturation nearly vegetation was Cerrado woodland of which a year-round and shallow water table (Drummond et fragment remains at the wetland headwater, near al. 2005), where gentle slopes favor its seasonal rise an outcrop of laterite we believed that underlies to the surface (Oliveira-Filho & Martins 1986). The this vereda. Close to the headwater is a stand of M. hydromorphic soils are ill-drained (Baccaro 1994, flexuosa. Surrounded by pasture (mainly Paspalum Ribeiro & Walter 1998), such as gleysols, planosols notatum (Poales, Poaceae) and Urochloa spp.), and organosols (Drummond et al. 2005). Guimarães the study area is grazed and trampled by cows and et al. (2002) found two soil classes, Haplic Gleysol horses, mainly in the dry season and on the edges, and Melanic Gleysol, in veredas in Uberlândia, MG. not sampled. The hydrologic regime in wetlands is the major determinant in plant community patterns Fieldwork and data analysis and species zonation (Casanova & Brock 2000). Samplings were performed in the rainy and in the Gentry (1988) suggested that habitat contributes dry season. We placed four permanent transects significantly for plant species diversity along to sample vegetation, being two on the floodable topographic and edaphic gradients, as well as transitional zone, with 170 m (68 plots)