Temporal dynamics of the shrub and herbaceous layer of an area of moist grassland in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil

Este trabalho avaliou a dinâmica estrutural e fl orística de uma comunidade de espécies herbáceo-arbustivas de uma área de campo limpo úmido em Alto Paraíso de Goiás, o primeiro inventário realizado em 2000 (T0) e o segundo em 2007 (T1). A diversidade de Shannon entre os períodos foi comparada pelo teste-t de Hutcheson e a similaridade fl orística, pelo índice de similaridade de Chao-Sørensen. As relações fl orísticas e a cobertura, entre os períodos e as linhas, foram avaliadas por meio de análises de correspondência retifi cada (DCA). Foram amostradas 98 espécies, 88 no T0 e 67 no T1, sendo 31 exclusivas do T0 e 10 do T1. A diversidade fl orística na comunidade foi elevada nos dois períodos, porém diferente entre esses (t = 7,12; p < 0,001), devido a variação no número e cobertura das espécies. A similaridade entre os dois inventários foi alta (Chao-Sørensen ± IC = 0,841 ± 0,074). A ordenação por DCA indicou relações entre a composição fl orística e a cobertura com o gradiente de umidade e de matéria orgânica no solo identifi cados em T0. Houve modifi cações nas linhas em zonas sazonais, as quais se tornaram mais semelhantes às linhas constantemente saturadas por água. Em um intervalo de sete anos o campo limpo úmido apresentou mudanças na composição fl orística e, principalmente na estrutura devido o aumento da cobertura de espécies perenes, cespitosas e entouceiradas, que foram favorecidas pela maior umidade no solo em resposta à elevação da pluviosidade da região. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTTh is study evaluated the fl oristic and structural dynamics of a community of herbaceous-shrub species in an area of moist grassland in Alto Paraíso de Goiás. Th e fi rst inventory was undertaken in 2000 (T0) and the second in 2007 (T1). Shannon’s diversity between the periods was compared by Hutchesons´s t-test, and the fl oristic similarity by the Chao-Sørensen similarity index. Floristic composition and cover, between periods and lines, were evaluated by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). We sampled 98 species, 88 at T0 and 67 at T1; 31 were unique to T0 and 10 to T1. Floristic diversity in the community was high in both periods, but diff erent between them (t = 7.12, p <0.001), due to variation in species number and coverage. Similarity between the two surveys was high (Chao-Sørensen CI = ± 0.841 ± 0.074). Th e DCA ordination indicated relationships between the fl oristic composition and cover with a gradient of moisture and organic matter in the soil identifi ed in T0. Th ere were changes in the lines in the seasonal zones, which became more similar in those constantly saturated with water. During an interval of seven years the moist grassland showed changes in fl oristic composition and mainly in structure due to increased cover of the clumped tussock perennial species, which were favored by higher soil moisture due to high rainfall in the region

Litter Fall And Leaf Decomposition In Cerradão Jataí Reserve, Municipality Of Luiz Antônio, São Paulo State, Brazil [produção De Serapilheira E Decomposição Do Material Foliar Em Um Cerradão Na Estação Ecológica De Jataí, Município De Luiz Antônio, Sp, Brasil]

We estimate litter production and leaf decomposition rate in a cerradão area, physiognomy little studied and very threatened in São Paulo State. During the period of study, litter production was 5646.9 kg.ha-1.year-1, which the 'leaf' fraction corresponded to 4081.2 kg.ha-1.year-1; the 'branch' fraction, to 1066.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; the 'reproductive structures' fraction, to 434.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; and the 'miscellaneous' fraction to 65.5 kg.ha-1.year-1. Litter production was highly seasonal and negatively correlated with relative humidity and air temperature. Leaf production was negatively correlated with relative humidity, rainfall, and air temperature. There was no significant difference between litter production found in this study and those in two other sites with cerradão and semideciduous forest, but these physiognomies differed significantly from the cerrado sensu stricto. Leaf decomposition rate (K) was 0.56. 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Flower Functional Trait Responses To Restoration Time

Questions: (1) Do species richness, flower functional diversity and redundancy of tree and non-tree species increase with restoration age; (2) are the flower traits of the reference forest similar to those found in restored sites; and (3) does species originality, in terms of unique combinations of different set of flower traits, differ among sites? Location: Forests restored by planting a high diversity assemblage of tree species, within the Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil. Methods: We sampled all reproductive individuals (353 species) and classified them in terms of floral type, colour, size, generalization level and openness. As most trees were planted and non-tree species (sub-shrub, shrub, herbs, epiphytes, climbers and hemi-parasitic plants) were mostly naturally established, we analysed them in separate analyses. We compared species richness, functional diversity, redundancy and originality among sites. Moreover, we identified optimal subsets of flower traits to describe vegetation succession trends. Results: (1) Flower functional diversity of tree species could be achieved after two decades of restoration, but remained far from reference values for non-tree species. The same gap regarding reference values occurred with species richness, which increased over restoration periods, although were far from the reference values. Redundancy and functional diversity are not related to restoration age. (2) Red/burgundy colour, gullet and bell-funnel shape and large size were identified as indicators of the reference forest flowers. Different indicator traits were found for each restoration sites. (3) Sites were similar regarding originality for tree and for non-tree species. Conclusion: A highly diverse species pool seems to promise to increase richness and functional diversity of tree species, but not of non-tree species. Trait analyses have important implications for restoration projects and can be used instead of species taxonomic identity, especially for highly diverse tropical forests. Such functional diversity may be advanced through a priori definition of which species from the regional pool can be used in plantings for forest restoration, with special attention to functional traits of non-tree species. Otherwise, restoration sites in highly fragmented landscapes will not reach functional diversity of reference sites, even after a five-decade period

The role of fire in structuring trait variability in Neotropical savannas

Intraspecific trait variability plays a fundamental role in community structure and dynamics; however, few studies have evaluated its relative importance to the overall response of communities to environmental pressures. Since fire is considered a key factor in Neotropical savannas, we investigated to what extent the functional effects of fire in a Brazilian savanna occurs via intra- or interspecific trait variability. We sampled 12 traits in communities subjected to three fire regimes in the last 12 years: annual, biennial, and protected. To evaluate fire's relative effects, we fitted a general linear mixed models with species as random and fire as fixed factors, using: (1) all species in the communities (i. e., considering intra- and interspecific variabilities); (2) 18 species common to all fire regimes (i. e., intraspecific variability only); and (3) all species with their overall average trait values (i. e., interspecific variability only). We assessed the relative role of intra- or interspecific variability by comparing the significance of each trait in the three analyses. We also compared the within and between fire variabilities with a variance component analysis. Five traits presented larger intraspecific than interspecific variability, and the main effect of fire occurred at the intraspecific level. These results confirm that it is important to consider intraspecific variability to fully understand fire-prone communities. Moreover, trait variability was larger within than among fire regimes. Thus, fire may act more as an external filter, preventing some of the species from the regional pool from colonizing the cerrado, than as an internal factor structuring the already filtered cerrado communities. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.We are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for financial support and scholarships granted to the authors.Peer Reviewe