ARTICLE Floristic and Characterization of Grassland Vegetation at a Granitic Hill in Southern Brazil Robberson Bernal Setubal1* and Ilsi Iob Boldrini2
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Revista Brasileira de Biociências Brazilian Journal of Biosciences http://www.ufrgs.br/seerbio/ojs ISSN 1980-4849 (on-line) / 1679-2343 (print) ARTICLE Floristic and characterization of grassland vegetation at a granitic hill in Southern Brazil Robberson Bernal Setubal1* and Ilsi Iob Boldrini2 Received: March 31 2009 Received after revision: November 19 2009 Accepted: November 20 2009 Available online at http://www.ufrgs.br/seerbio/ojs/index.php/rbb/article/view/1209 ABSTRACT: (Floristic and characterization of grasslands vegetation of a granite hill in Southern Brazil). A floristic and vegeta- tion study was carried out in the grassland formations at Morro São Pedro, Porto Alegre municipality, Rio Grande do Sul State, a granitic elevation area, so far poorly surveyed, that cradles important natural vegetation remnants of the region. After the study, which lasted from April 2005 to March 2009, we found 497 angiosperm species, distributed in four main grassland formation types: dry grassland, rocky grassland, humid grassland and wetlands. Among the species list three species are noteworthy: Alstroemeria albescens, a new species for the science, Lepuropethalon spathulatum, a new record for Southern Brazil, and Thrasyopsis juergensii, a new record for the Pampa biome. Based on our results and on support from other papers we concluded that ca. 65% of the grassland species present in the granitic hills of the region belong to seven main botanical families (Astera- ceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae and Apiaceae). The species belonging to these families are also determining in the vegetation phytophysiognomical and structural composition, so that cespitous grasses predominate in the landscape, shaping a continuous gramineous layer. The grasslands at the granitic hills of the municipality have an insular present distribution, isolated in patches at hilltops, due to the presence of forests in the slopes. They show a high number of species that can be found in higher numbers in dry areas than in humid areas, and there is a gap in works concerning the characterization of humid grasslands and wetland formations inserted at hilltops. Despite the significant plant diversity of these grasslands, their representation in conservation units at the municipality is virtually inexistent. Key words: plant diversity, floristic, Pampa, grasslands vegetation. RESUMO: (Florística e caracterização da vegetação campestre em um morro granítico no sul do Brasil). Foi realizado um estudo florístico e vegetacional nos campos do morro São Pedro, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, uma área de elevação granítica, ainda pouco estudada, que conserva importantes remanescentes de vegetação natural da região. Após a realização do estudo, com duração de abril de 2005 a março de 2009, obteve-se a catalogação de 497 espécies de angiospermas nativas distribuídas em quatro tipos de formações campestres principais: campo seco, campo rupestre, campo úmido e banhado. Dentre a lista de espécies, destacam-se Alstroemeria albescens, uma espécie nova para a ciência, Lepuropethalon spathulatum, uma nova citação para a Região Sul do Brasil, e Thrasyopsis juergensii, uma nova citação para o bioma Pampa. Com base nos resultados obtidos e o suporte de outros trabalhos realizados, conclui-se que cerca de 65% das espécies campestres de morros graníticos da região pertencem a sete famílias botânicas principais (Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae e Apiaceae). As espécies destas famílias também são determinantes na composição fitofisionômica e estrutural da vegetação, predominando na paisagem as gramíneas cespitosas, formando um estrato contínuo de tapete graminoso. Os campos dos morros graníticos do município têm distribuição atual em forma insular, isolado em manchas nos topos destas elevações devido à presença de florestas nas encostas. Apresentam elevado número de espécies que se concentram em maior número nas áreas secas do que nas áreas úmidas, havendo uma lacuna de trabalhos de caracterização de formações de campos úmidos e banhados de topos de morro. Apesar da significativa diversidade vegetal destes campos, sua representatividade em unidades de conservação é praticamente nula no município. Palavras-chave: diversidade vegetal, florística, Pampa, vegetação campestre. INtroDuctioN 2006, Boldrini 2007). Despite the inexistence of concrete South Brazilian grasslands, known as Campos Sulinos, data concerning the richness of these formations, Boldrini have been historically highlighted by researchers in (1997) points out the occurrence of approximately three botany due to its floristic richness and physiognomic thousand grassland species in RS. The physiognomic diversity, contrasting with Brazilian forest formations. In aspect of this vegetation is determined by herbaceous Rio Grande do Sul (RS), the southernmost State of this species, particularly grasses, with significant contribution region, the blending of hibernal and aestival species with of shrub and arboreal species (Overbeck et al. 2007). origin in two main floristic groups, the altitude grasslands Today, it is known that the present distribution of of the northern half of the State (Mata Atlântica biome) grasslands and forests in Southern Brazil, occurring and the pampean grasslands of the southern half (Pampa in mosaics on the landscape, is the result of climatic biome) results in one of the most important natural pasture variations in recent geological times and the occurrence formations of the world (IBGE 2004, Jaques & Nabinger of natural and anthropogenic disturbance, such as fire 1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Instituto de Biociências. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43433, Campus do Vale, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 2. Departamento de Botânica, Insituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Bloco IV, Prédio 43433, Campus do Vale, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. * Author for correspondence. E-mail: [email protected] R. bras. Bioci., Porto Alegre, v. 8, n. 1, p. 85-111, jan./mar. 2010 86 Setubal & Boldrini and grazing (Klein 1984, Behling et al. 2004, Overbeck document the diversity of a natural grassland vegetation et al. 2007). Other natural factors also contribute to remnant present at a granitic hill in Porto Alegre city, we the present distribution of plants in the environment, carried out a floristic inventory, a general characterization such as the time of origin of a species at the site, the of the vegetation and an analysis of floristic similarity geomorphology and soil distribution on the landscape, among the identified formation types. The selection of solar irradiation, wind patterns and dispersion syndromes the study site, the Morro São Pedro, is due to the fact (Good 1974, Rizzini 1979). Through analysis of the that it shelters the largest and better conserved natural proposed classifications of the grassland vegetation vegetation remnant of the municipality, and there are few of RS, it is possible to observe that variation of the specific information on this subject for the area. mentioned factors, as the physiognomy imprinted by key species, regional geographic formations distribution, local ecological factors and intensity and periodicity MateriaL AND metHODS of disturbances are determinant in the recognition of Study area patterns in this vegetation (Lindman 1906, Rambo 1956, IBGE 1973, Boldrini 1997). Porto Alegre is inserted in the Depressão Central The region of Porto Alegre city, RS capital, is one of the physiographic region (Fortes 1959). However, Morro better studied in the State, and is considered an important São Pedro geologically belongs to a crystalline formation site of occurrence of many plant species (Rambo 1954, known as Escudo sul-riograndense, a granite-based Teodoro Luís 1960, Aguiar et al. 1986). Its geographic bedrock connected to the Serra do Sudeste physiographic position near the 30oS parallel, a zone of transition region (Rambo 1956). The region is also under the between different phytogeographic formations present in influence of the Seashore formation, due to the contact South America, represents a contact zone between the two with Guaíba lake and Patos Lagoon and the proximity main grassland floristic groups previously mentioned, to the Seashore Plains (Fig. 1B). Climate corresponds to besides the occurrence of taxa pertaining to other South Cfa subtype, according to Koeppen classification. Mean American floras with austral-Antarctic, Amazonian, annual temperature is 19.5oC. Mean annual rainfall is Andean, Chaquean and Brazilian Atlantic coast origins 1330mm, being more pronounced in winter, with possible (Cabrera & Willink 1973, Porto & Menegat 1999a). The water shortage in summer (Livi 1999). The municipality resulting vegetation assembles marked characteristics, is inserted in the Pampa biome, close to its northeastern shaping a mosaic of vegetation types quite distinct, such limits and under the influence of the Mata Atlântica as forests, grasslands, wetlands and restingas (subtropical (Brazilian Rainforest) biome (IBGE 2004) (Fig. 1A). moist broadleaf forests), and species showing rare and/or Morro São Pedro is located between 30º08’S and restrict distribution patterns (Brack et al. 1998, Boldrini 30°12’S to 51°05’W and 51°07’W, at the extreme et al. 1998, Overbeck et al. 2006). southern portion of the municipality (Fig.1C-D). The Brazilian