Check List 9(2): 415–424, 2013 © 2013 Check List and Authors Chec List ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution The Aquatic Macrophyte Flora of the Pandeiros River PECIES S Wildlife Sanctuary, Minas Gerais, Brazil OF Marco Otávio Dias Pivari 1*, Pedro Lage Viana 1 and Felipe Sá Fortes Leite 2 ISTS L 1 Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Sistemática Vegetal. Avenida Antônio Carlos 6621. CEP 31270-010. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. 2 Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Zoologia. Avenida Antônio Carlos 6621. CEP 31270-010. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: The São Francisco River forms one of the main Brazilian hydrographic basins of ca. 645,000 km2. The Pandeiros River is a tributary situated on the left margin of the São Francisco and is considered a strategic component for conservation Sanctuary was carried out, using collections of botanical samples and examination of specimens at the BHCB Herbarium. of biodiversity of that hydrographic basin. An inventory of the aquatic macrophyte flora of the Pandeiros River Wildlife swamps. A total of 101 species was inventoried, distributed in 37 families (1 charophytes, 1 liverworts, 3 ferns and 32 Aquatic environments in the study area were classified as follows: the Pandeiros riverbed, floodplains, oxbow lakes, and representative. The area shows a high diversity in its aquatic macrophytes and has an important role in the conservation of biodiversityangiosperms) of and the 71region. genera. The species were classified into seven life forms, with the amphibian and rafted plants the more Introduction forests, and several aquatic macrophyte environments, Aquatic environments correspond to approximately associated with watercourses (Barbosa and Maillard 11% of the continental area of tropical regions (Rebouças 2010). et al. 1999). Brazil, with its largest hydrographic network Even though the need for special attention to preserve the biodiversity in northern Minas Gerais is strongly felt, representing ecosystems that make up its natural landscape (Bovein the etworld, al. 2003). has a However, high degree several of habitat aquatic diversification, environments diversity have been made so far. The present study aims have been drained or eliminated in the last decades as a very few efforts focusing on documenting its floristic result of the expansion of agricultural activities, industrial development, urbanization, establishment of hydroelectric theto contribute Pandeiros toRiver the Wildlife knowledge Sanctuary. of its regional flora, and power reservoirs, and by attempts to eliminate breeding more specifically, to the study of aquatic macrophytes of sites of disease vectors (Esteves 1988). These factors Materials and Methods have been responsible for the disappearance of numerous Study site habitats and, therefore, the plant diversity associated The Pandeiros River is a tributary situated on the left margin of the São Francisco and is considered a processes, such as the nutrient cycling and primary strategic component in the conservation of biodiversity productivitywith them, potentially of water bodies. influencing fundamental ecologic of that hydrographic basin, particularly with respect to The São Francisco forms one of the main Brazilian its ichthyofauna (Sato and Godinho 2003). The Pandeiros hydrographic basins with ca. 645,000 km2 (7,5% of the encompasses the most expressive swamp (known locally country’s area), of great social, economic, cultural, and as pântano) in the state, extending to up to 5,000 ha biological relevance (Kohler 2003). Severe anthropic during the rainy season (Nunes et al. 2009) and highly pressure of the last decades, such as the elimination of favorable to the establishment of aquatic macrophytes. riparian forests and the transposition of its waters (a This unique ecosystem is regarded as a priority area for project carried out by the National Integration Ministry the biodiversity conservation of the Cerrado domain of the Brazilian Government) have had a negative impact (Conservação Internacional 1999) in the state (Drummond on its biota that can be readily observed at several of its et al. 2005) and has two conservation units: the Pandeiros stretches. River Wildlife Sanctuary (with full protection) and the The São Francisco rises in Minas Gerais, where several Environmental Protection Area of the Panderios River of its medium to large tributaries are found, accounting for (with sustainable use). more than 70% of its water (Kohler 2003). Some of those The Pandeiros River Wildlife Sanctuary is located in are located in the northern part of the state, an ecotonal the municipality of Januária, Minas Gerais, and is delimited area between the two important Brazilian biogeographic by the coordinates of 15°30’ to 15°42’ S and 44°35’ to domains, the Caatinga and the Cerrado. A mosaic of 44°46’ W, occupying a total area of 6,102.75 ha (Figure different phyto-physiognomies is found in the region (Lombardi et al. 2005), composed of savannas, deciduous forests (associated with limestone outcrops), riparian climate1). In accordance with a dry withseason Koppen’s during the(1931) winter. classification, Temperatures the climate of the region is classified as Aw, moist tropical 415 Pivari et al. | The Aquatic Macrophytes of the Pandeiros River range from 16°C to 34°C (with the annual mean around according to Brummit and Powell (1992). The life forms 24°C), while precipitation varies from 850 to 950 mm, with occasional long dry periods (Ratter et al. 1978). The proposed by Irgang et al. (1984), except for plants growing names were adopted in accordance with the classification et al. lakesaquatic (OXL), environments and swamps in (SWP).the study Table area 1 summarizes can be classified some (2011).on organic Data soil for (histosoil) the type ofof habitatfloating for meadows, each species which were are featuresas: the Pandeiros of these environments.riverbed (PAN), floodplains (FLP), oxbow obtainedclassified fromas rafted exsiccate plants, labels. as suggested by Pivari Data collection Results and Discussion The inventory of aquatic macrophytes of the Pandeiros A total of 101 aquatic macrophyte species was River Wildlife Sanctuary was carried out during the inventoried (Figures 2-6). The species are distributed in beginning of the rainy season (September 2007) and the 37 families: 1 charophytes (2 spp.), 1 liverworts (1 spp.), dry season (June 2008) in the area. Transportation for the 3 ferns (7 spp.) and 32 angiosperms (91 spp.), and 71 collection of samples in the environments cited in Table genera. The most represented families were Cyperaceae 1 was done by motorboat. Fertile material was prepared (10 spp.), Poaceae (9 spp.), Asteraceae (7 spp.), Fabaceae, in accordance with the usual techniques for collecting Plantaginaceae and Pontederiaceae (with 6 spp. each), aquatic macrophytes (Haynes 1984; Ceska et al. 1986) Alismataceae, Onagraceae and Rubiaceae (with 5 spp. and the specimens were deposited at the BHCB herbarium each). The more speciose genera were Bacopa, Cyperus (acronym follows Thiers 2012). Additional specimens and Ludwigia (with 5 spp., each), followed by Borreria, from the study area previously deposited at the BHCB Echinodorus and Polygonum (with 3 spp. each). were also included in the compilation. forms (Table 2), with the prevalence of the amphibians (42 studied, including taxonomic treatments and guides, as spp.)The and inventoried rafted plants species (27 werespp.). classifiedThe amphibian into seven species life wellFor as comparisonspecies identification, with the BHCB pertinent herbarium literature specimens was previously determined by experts. Additionally, duplicates oxbow lakes, where the soil is transitional from dry to were mostly associated with floodplains and borders of familieswere sent followsto experts APG for confirmationIII (2009); and/orfor ferns, identification Kramer inflooded oxbow during lakes, the environmentsannual hydrological that cycle.gather The adequate species of some species. The classification of the angiosperm classified as rafted plants were recorded exclusively charophytes and liverworts, Raven et al. (1990) is followed. (Duzer 2004) as a result of succession of aquatic plants Nomenclaturaland Green’s (1990) terminology classification and author is adopted;abbreviations and arefor (Pivariconditions et al.for 2008) the establishment that accumulate of floatinglarge amounts meadows of Table 1. Aquatic environments of the Pandeiros River Wildlife Sanctuary Such substrate accounts for the occurrence of several and their principal features. aquaticfloating mulchmacrophyte and culminating species (Pivari in the histosoilet al. 2008; formation. Pivari SITES ACRONYM FLOODABLE WATERFLOW et al. 2011). Other life forms sampled in the study were Pandeiros riverbed PAN Perennial Lotic Floodplains FLP Seasonal Intermediate Oxbow lakes OXL Perennial Lentic submergedcharacterized (2 asspp., emerging each), as(12 in spp.), other fixed Brazilian submerged wetlands (7 Swamps SWP Perennial Intermediate (Pottspp.), andfree Pott floating 2000; (6 Pivari spp.), etfixed al. 2011). floating (5 spp.) and free In the swamps of the Pandeiros River Wildlife Sanctuary were recorded 14 species distributed into meadows are found in that environment). Some species, suchall life as forms Azolla (except filiculoides rafted, Ceratophyllumplants, since nodemersum floating,