Richness, Structure and Vegetation Relationships of the Woody Layer in an Upper Montane Forest in Caparaó National Park, Minas Gerais State, Brazil
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Oecologia Australis 20(2): 315-321, 2016 10.4257/oeco.2016.2002.13 RICHNESS, STRUCTURE AND VEGETATION RELATIONSHIPS OF THE WOODY LAYER IN AN UPPER MONTANE FOREST IN CAPARAÓ NATIONAL PARK, MINAS GERAIS STATE, BRAZIL João Paulo Fernandes Zorzanelli ¹*, Henrique Machado Dias ², Nauan Rodrigues da Silva ² & Sustanis Horn Kunz ² ¹Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Florestais. Av. Governador Lindemberg, 316, Centro, Jerônimo Monteiro, ES, Brasil. CEP: 29.550-000. ²Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Departamento de Ciências Florestais e da Madeira. Av. Governador Lindemberg, 316, Centro Jerônimo Monteiro, ES, Brasil. CEP: 29.550-000. E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]. Keywords: Atlantic Rainforest; floristic; phytosociology; Upland Fields. The upper montane forest (UMF) or “cloud Although the Caparaó Range (Minas Gerais forest” is a phytophysiognomy characterized by and Espírito Santo states) lies within a protected vegetation with a woody structure and a generally area (Caparaó National Park - PNC) and is continuous canopy, composed mostly by shrub included in a priority area for conservation of and tree species (Doumenge et al. 1995). These biodiversity (MMA 2008), there are few studies species predominantly have low height and are related to its flora (e.g., Mazine & Souza 2008, sclerophyllous, with tortuous branches, numerous Forster & Souza 2013). We conducted a floristic branches from the base, diminutive coriaceous and structural survey of the woody component in leaves, often covered by epiphytes (Doumenge et this UMF to characterize the vegetation structure al. 1995). Since they are found in environments of the community. In addition, we evaluated the with biotic and abiotic peculiarities (e.g., frequent differences and floristic similarities between clouds, differentiated composition and structure of vegetation of the same phytophysiognomy in other vegetation, high humidity), they are considered to localities, based on literature data. be indicators of susceptibility to possible climate PNC covers 31,800 hectares and those in change (Foster 2001). charge of its management encourage scientific This phytophysiognomy is also globally research and tourist visits. The studied site is recognized for its environmental benefits, such located in Macieira (20º28’47 ‘’S; 41º49’47’’W, as maintenance and protection of freshwater approximate coordinates), near Aurélio and Farofa watersheds, acting in the regulation of the flow of waterfalls, between the altitudes of 1,849 and rivers and springs (Hostettler 2002). In addition, 1,960 m a.s.l.. The study area is inserted in the these forests contain a high level of endemism physiognomy of the UMF (IBGE 2012). However, (Bruijnzeel et al. 2010, Aceves et al. 2011). in the study area the patches of forest are dispersed In the scientific literature, there are few like islands amidst upland fields. studies on plant biodiversity in the different Ten Transects (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, existing UMFs and the floristic relationships P8, P9 and P10) of 0.1 ha each (50 ×2m) were among them (Luna-Vega et al. 2001, Bubb et systematically distributed, spaced about 50 meters al. 2004, Bertoncello et al. 2011). Regarding the apart, and used to measure vegetation structure lack of studies in this type of vegetation in Brazil, (Gentry 1988). In each transect, diameters and Martinelli (2007) indicated the existence of several total heights were measured for all living woody areas that are priorities for conducting vegetational individuals with diameter at breast height (DBH) studies, because they are regions with few botanical ≥ 2.5 cm. Reproductive and vegetative botanical collections and little information about floristic and materials were collected from all individuals structural ecology. sampled for identification. Fertile samples were 316 Floristic Relationships of Woody Layer in Caparaó National Park, Brazil sent to taxonomists for identification and the et al. 2001, França & Stehmann 2004, Meireles et waste material was compared to those from the al. 2008, Valente et al. 2011, Pompeu et al. 2014, BHCB herbarium collection and virtual collections Meireles & Shepherd 2015; Table 1) were used available at species link (splink.org.br) and in non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) Herbário Virtual Reflora (http://floradobrasil.jbrj. using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to obtain gov.br/reflora/herbarioVirtual/). The botanical the floristic similarity between locations. In families of angiosperms were updated using the NMDS, we considered only the woody component, system proposed by APG III (The Angiosperm including tree ferns. Synonyms were checked Phylogeny Group 2009), and the classification of and species with inaccurate identification were Lycophyte and ferns followed Smith et al. (2006). excluded from the analysis. The phytosociological Species names, synonyms and correct authorship of structure was analyzed using the Fitopac 2.1.2.85 species were verified following Lista de Espécies software, and CA and NMDS were performed da Flora do Brasil 2020 (http://floradobrasil.jbrj. using the Past 3.07 software (Hammer et al. 2001). gov.br). We sampled 394 individuals belonging The parameters of the horizontal structure to 40 species, 21 families and 32 genera. The and the Shannon diversity index were calculated families Asteraceae (8 spp.), Melastomataceae (5), following Brower et al. (1998). The ten sampling Myrtaceae (4) and Solanaceae (3) were the richest units were compared in relation to species abundance ones. The importance of these families in montane in each unit using correspondence analysis (CA). and upper montane vegetation was reported by Species lists of UMF from six other localities in Oliveira-Filho & Fontes (2000) to be a response to Paraná, Minas Gerais and São Paulo states (Portes the altitudinal gradient. Beside altitude, biotic and Table 1. Structural parameters and floristic richness of some upper montane vegetation in southern and southeastern Brazil. Nsp - number of species; DM - average diameter (cm); DMA - maximum diameter (cm); HM - average height (m); HMA - maximum height (m); AB - basal area (m².ha-1); DT - total density (ind.ha-1); H’ - Shannon index (nats.ind-1). Elevation Locate Nsp DM DMA HM HMA AB DT H’ Authors (m a.b.sl.) Serra da França & Mantiqueira, 1,900 70 - - - - 48.12 2001 2.90 Stehmann MG (CAM) (2004) Monte Verde, Meireles et 1,820-1,940 64 10.22 52.20 6.33 14.00 37.68 3403 3.40 MG (SMV) al. (2008) Quatro Barras, Portes et al. 1,200-1,420 24 9.11 28.01 4.79 8.00 41.87 4830 2.28 PR (MMC) (2001) Itamonte, MG Pompeu et 1,890-1,925 89 - - - - 33.00 2083 3.49 (SMI) al. (2014) Serra Negra, Valente et al. 1,300 84 - - - - 38.25 3428 3.42 MG (SNN) (2011) Meireles & Serra Fina, SP/ 1,200-1,575 24 3.55 17.00 5.38 13.00 29.85 1782.7 4.26 Shepherd MG (SFCA) (2015) Caparaó National Park, 1,849-1,960 40 9.52 44.72 5.38 20.00 37.82 3560 2.79 This study MG (PNC) Oecol. Aust., 20(2): 315-321, 2016 Zorzanelli et al. 317 abiotic elements are crucial in the distribution of The distribution of species abundance in the abundance and species richness in upper montane evaluated transects was variable and CA (Figure and cloud forests (Vázquez & Givnish 1998, 1) showed a strong association between P1, P2, Hernández et al. 2012). P3, P4 and P8. These sampling units were related In the horizontal structure of vegetation mainly to the shared species Symplocos falcata in PNC (Table 2), the species Myrsine coriacea (Sf), Prunus myrtifolia (Pm), Myrsine coriacea (14.68%) and Symplocos falcata (14.02%) were the (Mc) and Leandra aurea (La). P5 and P7 transects most important in the phytosociological sampling, were associated with the species Escallonia bifida mainly because they had the greatest density (Eb) and Weinmannia cf. pinnata (Wp), whereas values on the vegetation (15.17% and 17.7%, P10 was associated with Roupala montana (Rm) respectively) and were the only species observed and P9 with Fuchsia regia (Fr). These associations in all sampling units. The basal area was found to correspond to narrowing interactions of species be 37.82 m².ha-1 and the density was 3,560 ind. with characteristics of their environment, such as ha-1. These values are consistent with those found differentiated microclimate, exposure to sunlight, for other upper montane forests studied in the moisture, soil chemistry and structure, dispersal southeast and south of Brazil (Table 1). ability and competition (McCain & Grytnes The Shannon diversity index obtained was 2010). 2.79 nats.ind-1, and it was influenced mainly by The NMDS analysis showed strong floristic species richness. The abundance of each species links between three locations in the Serra da showed low uniformity, despite the apparently high Mantiqueira (CAM, SNV and SMI), possibly evenness index (0.76), because 64.3% (229 ind.) of due to geographical proximity (Figure 2). PNC, individuals were concentrated in only five species. SFCA, MMC and SNN showed no floristic Table 2. Phytosociology of the upper montane forest in Caparaó National Park, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. N - number of individuals; K - number of sampling units; DA - absolute density (ind.ha-1); DR - relative density (%); DoA - absolute dominance (m².ha-1); DoR - relative dominance (%); FA - absolute frequency; FR - relative frequency (%); VI - importance value (%); CN - collector number; JPFZ - João Paulo Fernandes Zorzanelli; VIES - Herbário VIES. Species N K DA DR DoA DoR FA FR VI CN Myrsine coriacea (Sw.) R.Br. ex JPFZ 765 54 10 540 15.17 7.72 20.41 100 8.47 14.68 Roem. & Schult. (VIES) JPFZ 1465 Symplocos falcata Brand 63 10 630 17.7 6.01 15.89 100 8.47 14.02 (VIES) JPFZ 1464 Escallonia bifida Link & Otto 38 8 380 10.67 6.57 17.37 80 6.78 11.61 (VIES) JPFZ 854 Roupala montana Aubl.