Post-fire phenology in a campo sujo vegetation in the Urucum plateau, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Studies on the herbaceous and sub-shrub layer of cerrado showed the occurrence of modifications in its composition between different regions, demonstrating sensibility to changes in climate, soil and intensity of fires, among other factors. The aim of this study was to describe the phenological variation in a campo sujo vegetation in the Urucum plateau. We established eight transects of 250 m each, 50 m apart. We sampled all flowering and fruiting species located at least three meters from each side of the transect. Beginning in October 2007, one month after an accidental fire occurred in the study site, we analysed flowering and fruiting plants in the transects' area. The intensity of the flowering and fruiting phenophases was not uniformly distributed. This study provide us information about the possible fire influence on the reproductive patterns of the community, presenting flowering peaks in October and November, two months after this event. Regression analysis with monthly rainfall also provides us information about the influence of climate data on the flowering and fruiting peaks

Post-fire phenology in a campo sujo vegetation in the Urucum plateau, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Studies on the herbaceous and sub-shrub layer of cerrado showed the occurrence of modifications in its composition between different regions, demonstrating sensibility to changes in climate, soil and intensity of fires, among other factors. The aim of this study was to describe the phenological variation in a campo sujo vegetation in the Urucum plateau. We established eight transects of 250 m each, 50 m apart. We sampled all flowering and fruiting species located at least three meters from each side of the transect. Beginning in October 2007, one month after an accidental fire occurred in the study site, we analysed flowering and fruiting plants in the transects' area. The intensity of the flowering and fruiting phenophases was not uniformly distributed. This study provide us information about the possible fire influence on the reproductive patterns of the community, presenting flowering peaks in October and November, two months after this event. Regression analysis with monthly rainfall also provides us information about the influence of climate data on the flowering and fruiting peaks

Floristic distributional patterns in a diverse ecotonal area in South America

The Paraguayan territory and region, in the centre of South America, is a huge transition area with a succession of various vegetation types. However, this area has received little attention from researchers, with few works published on its flora and its delimitations. We aimed to identify the most important environmental driving forces and delimit floristic patterns in this region, since understanding the forces that drive floristic variations in this ecotonal region could help comprehend the distribution of vegetation not only in this region but throughout South America. We obtained 1234 tree species occurrence records, 205 geographic coordinates and 23 environmental variables and altitude from the ‘NeoTropTree’ database and verified the influence and contribution of environmental factors through variance partition. We tested the floristic consistency of the different vegetation types using dendrogram, indicator species and ordination analyses. We also constructed multiple linear models to check the correlation between species distribution and environmental variables. We found eight consistent vegetation types. The spatial variables coupled with environmental variables were more important than individual environmental or spatial variables. Among the environmental variables, the aridity index was the most important. Despite the importance of spatial factors, due to environmental heterogeneity, we found a gradient related to climate and edaphic variables related to tree flora. The results confirm that the Paraguayan territory and region can be considered to be a diversified and important ecotone area in South America with respect to tree flora