Epífitos vasculares sobre Pseudobombax aff. campestre (malvaceae) em complexos rupestres de granito no sul do Espírito Santo, Brasil

O epifitismo constitui uma característica marcante de florestas tropicais úmidas, fazendo destes ambientes um dos ecossistemas mais complexos do globo. No entanto, para ecossistemas rupestres, os dados existentes na literatura sobre esta sinúsia são escassos. Desta forma, a composição florística e os padrões de diversidade e distribuição vertical de epífitos vasculares foram realizados sobre o forófito focal Pseudobombax aff. campestre, amostrados em complexos rupestres em granito no Sul do Espírito Santo. Espécies epifíticas foram coletados entre os anos de 2010 a 2012, sendo complementadas através de consulta de material depositado no herbário MBML referentes as localidades estudadas. Foram registradas 151 espécies, 77 gêneros e 21 famílias de epífitos vasculares, onde Orchidaceae e o gênero Epidendrum, apresentaram as maiores riquezas. Onze espécies tiveram seu primeiro registro para o Espírito Santo e dezesseis enquadraram-se em alguma categoria de ameaçada. A relação com o forófito mais diversificada foi a dos holoepífitos característicos, seguido por holoepífitas acidentais. Análises de similaridade evidenciam a formação de floras distintas entre as populações de P. aff. campestre estudadas e outros levantamentos do sul e sudeste do Brasil. No estudo quantitativo, foram amostrados 90 forófitos, divididos em cinco zonas ecológicas. Em cada uma das zonas foram atribuidas notas à dominância das espécies epifíticas, de acordo com a sua biomassa. Foram registradas 142 espécies de epífitos vasculares, com índice de Shannon de 4,44 e a equidade de 0,90. Nenhuma espécie se destacou amplamente em importância, sendo Rhipsalis teres, Vriesea lubbersii, Bulbophyllum cantagallense e Microgramma squamulosa as que ocuparam as primeiras posições. Maior riqueza, diversidade e equidade foram associadas às raízes superficiais, onde holoepífitas acidentais e facultativas são abundantes. A distribuição das espécies ao longo das zonas dos forófitos evidenciou maior semelhança florística entre os estratos de maior proximidade, que distinguiu dois grupos, um de copa e outro da base dos forófitos. A ordenação das 35 principais espécies evidenciou a existência de 13 espécies associadas com alguma zona de P. aff. campestre, no entanto, 63% das espécies, tiveram ampla distribuição sobre as zonas dos forófitos. O diâmetro e a altura dos forófitos apresentaram alta correlação com a riqueza epifítica. A elevada riqueza e diversidade encontrada sobre Pseudobombax aff. campestre, certamente relaciona-se as estruturas morfológicas peculiares deste forófito, permitindo ampla colonização da flora epifítica. Este forófito, certamente resguardou uma flora epifítica pretérita, advinda das florestas que faziam contato com os limites dos afloramentos estudados, sendo esta, uma espécie nucleadora de biodiversidade em complexos rupestres em granito do sudeste brasileiro.The epiphytism is a hallmark of tropical rainforests, making these environments one of the most complex ecosystems on the globe. However, to rupestrian ecosystems, existing data in the literature on this sinusiae are scarce. Thus, the floristic composition and diversity patterns and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes were performed on the host tree focal Pseudobombax aff. campestre, sampled in granite rupestrian complexes in southern Espirito Santo state. Epiphytic species were collected between the years 2010 to 2012, and recorded 151 species, 77 genera and 21 families of vascular epiphytes, where Orchidaceae and genus Epidendrum, had the highest wealth. Ten species had their first record for the Espírito Santo State and sixteen framed in a threatened category. The relationship with the most diversified phorophyte was true epiphytes characteristic, followed by holoepiphytes accidental. Analysis of similarity showed the formation of distinct floras studied areas and other surveys of the southern and southeastern Brazil. Quantitative study sampled 90 phorophytes divided into five ecological zones. In each zone scores were given to the dominance of epiphytic species according to their biomass. We recorded 142 species of vascular epiphytes with Shannon index of 4.44 and equity of 0.90. No species is widely emphasized in importance, being Rhipsalis teres, Vriesea lubbersii, Bulbophyllum cantagallense and Microgramma squamulosa those that occupied the top positions. Richness, diversity and fairness were associated with shallow roots, where holoepiphytes accidental and voluntary abound. The species distribution along the areas of phorophytes showed greater floristic similarity between the strata of proximity, which distinguished two groups, one cup and one base phorophytes. The ordering of the 35 main species revealed the existence of 13 species associated with some zone P. aff. campestre, however, 63% of species had a wide distribution of areas phorophytes. The diameter and height of phorophytes showed high correlation with wealth epiphytic. The high richness and diversity found on Pseudobombax aff. campestre, certainly relates to the morphological structures of this peculiar phorophyte, allowing ample colonization of epiphytic flora. This phorophyte certainly guarded one epiphytic flora past tense, arising from forests that made contact with the boundaries of the outcrops studied, this being a sort of nucleadora biodiversity on rocky outcrops in southeastern Brazil.CAPE

Floristic composition of a Neotropical inselberg from Espírito Santo state, Brazil: an important area for conservation

Our study on granitic and gneissic rock outcrops on Pedra dos Pontões in Espírito Santo state contributes to the knowledge of the vascular flora of inselbergs in southeastern Brazil. We registered 211 species distributed among 51 families and 130 genera. Orchidaceae, Bromeliaceae and Polypodiaceae were the most representative families. Concerning vegetative habit, herbs were predominant and about the preference for substrates, holorupicolous species and epiphytes were most speciose. The richest rocky habitat type was woody thicket, with 122 exclusive species. In total, 27 of the species registered in our study are cited on official lists of endangered plant species from Espírito Santo state and Brazil. In addition, two new records of angiosperms for Espírito Santo flora and two new species were recorded for the area. Our data demonstrates the importance of the area for conservation of unique biodiversity that serves as a sanctuary for a rich rupicolous flora composed of endemic and endangered species, some of which are new to science

A new epilithic bromeliad (Stigmatodon, Tillandsioideae) from Pedra dos Três Pontões, Espírito Santo, Brazil, with an emended combination for the genus

Background and aims – Stigmatodon (Bromeliaceae) is a monophyletic genus currently comprising 33 species, all endemic to rocky outcrops, mainly inselbergs, from the Atlantic Forest and campos rupestres of the Espinhaço range, Brazil. Material and methods – Our fieldwork in the inselbergs of the Atlantic Forest of the state of Espírito Santo led to the discovery of a new Stigmatodon species with a tubo-laciniate stigma type. Standard herbarium taxonomy practices were adopted to study the novelty. Morphological data were obtained from herbarium specimens and fresh material collected in the field. Key results – Stigmatodon lemeanus is here described and illustrated. Diagnostic characters and affinities of the new species are discussed, accompanied by notes on its ecology, geographic distribution, and conservation status. A key to the species of Stigmatodon from Espírito Santo state is provided. The novelty is similar to S. goniorachis from coastal inselbergs of Rio de Janeiro and S. attenuatoides, another inselberg endemic from southern Espírito Santo. Stigmatodon lemeanus is preliminarily assessed as Vulnerable (VU) according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Additionally, we present a new combination of Tillandsia oligantha in Stigmatodon, correcting a nomenclatural error

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

New records of Vriesea agostiniana E.Pereira, and Vriesea saltensis Leme & L. Kollmann (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) from southeastern Brazil

Vriesea Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) has its center of diversity in eastern Brazil, especially in the Atlantic Rainforest domain. The present study extended the distribution of V. agostiniana to São Paulo state and V. saltensis to Espírito Santo state; they were previously considered endemic to single locations in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, respectively. Species descriptions, taxonomic comments, and new distribution maps are presented, contributing to our knowledge of the taxonomy and biogeography of Vriesea in southeastern Brazil

New records of Vriesea agostiniana E.Pereira, and Vriesea saltensis Leme & L. Kollmann (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) from southeastern Brazil

Vriesea Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) has its center of diversity in eastern Brazil, especially in the Atlantic Rainforest domain. The present study extended the distribution of V. agostiniana to São Paulo state and V. saltensis to Espírito Santo state; they were previously considered endemic to single locations in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, respectively. Species descriptions, taxonomic comments, and new distribution maps are presented, contributing to our knowledge of the taxonomy and biogeography of Vriesea in southeastern Brazil

Vascular epiphytes in the Grumari restinga, RJ: floristic and similarities between restingas in Eastern Brazil

Resumo A comunidade de epífitas vasculares ocorrente na restinga de Grumari, estado do Rio de Janeiro, foi avaliada através de coletas realizadas no ano de 2014 e complementadas com materiais de herbários e publicações. 37 espécies de epífitas vasculares foram registradas, distribuídas em 21 gêneros e seis famílias. As famílias mais ricas são Orchidaceae e Bromeliaceae, que foram as mais representativas (67,6% de todas as espécies registradas). A riqueza na restinga de Grumari é maior do que os outros inventários realizados na planície costeira do Sudeste do Brasil, no entanto, inferior as restingas de São Paulo, Paraná e da planície costeira do Rio Grande do Sul. A categoria ecológica mais representativa foi a holoepífita característica (62%) seguida por holoepífitas facultativas e acidentais com 18% cada. A restinga de Grumari possui mais espécies em comum com as restingas do Espírito Santo e Rio de Janeiro do que com São Paulo e região Sul do Brasil, possivelmente em função da distância geográfica. Nosso estudo traz a primeira contribuição ao conhecimento da flora epifítica da restinga de Grumari e evidencia uma flora singular com 40% das espécies exclusivas dessa localidade, o que justifica sua importância como Unidade de Conservação

Data from: Low modularity and specialization in a commensalistic epiphyte–phorophyte network in a tropical cloud forest

Species interactions can shape the structure of natural communities. Such sets of interactions have been described as complex ecological networks, an example of which is the commensal network formed by epiphyte–phorophyte interactions. Vascular epiphytes germinate and grow on phorophytes (support trees), assuming a horizontal distribution (among the phorophyte species) and a vertical distribution (from the base of the tree trunk to the crown of phorophytes, i.e., through ecological zones). Here we investigated the organization of these structural dimensions of the epiphyte–phorophyte network in a Brazilian tropical montane cloud forest. The analyzed network, comprising 66 epiphyte species and 22 phorophyte species, exhibited a nested structure with a low degree of specialization, a typical pattern for epiphyte–phorophyte networks in forests. The network was slightly modular, with 65% of the species common to three modules, and had vertical structure corresponding to the vertical organization of the phorophytes. The size (diameter at breast height) of phorophyte individuals influenced the network structure, possibly due to the increase in habitat area, the time available for colonization by epiphytes, and a greater number of microenvironments. We found that the distribution of the epiphyte species differed between the phorophyte ecological zones, with greater richness in the lower portions and greater abundance in the upper portions of the phorophytes. The results provide relevant guidance for future research on the characteristics and the vertical and horizontal organization of vascular epiphyte and phorophyte networks