ABSTRACT(The vegetation complex of the coastal zone of Ceará: Pecém, São Gonçalo do Amarante). Due to its geographical location, the northeastern Coast of Brazil (Litoral Setentrional do Nordeste -LSN) is a hotter and drier climate than the eastern coast. In addition, because of its proximity to caatinga and cerrado, the LSN contains species from these vegetation biomes and from the restinga on the coast, which comprise different plant formations and creates a vegetation complex. Despite the great importance of this ecotone, there are few studies about its flora. The objective of this work was to contribute to what is known about the floristic and phytosociological composition of this region. We made a floristic survey in the area (between 2007 and 2011), consulted herbaria data from the region and made a phytosociological study in a stretch of coastal semideciduous forest (mata de tabuleiro). The study recorded 382 plant species from 96 families. In the phytosociological survey (0.32 ha) we recorded 2,970 individuals and 52 species. The most abundant plants surveyed were the trees Manilkara triflora, Chamaecrista ensiformis and Guapira nitida and the shrubs Cordiera sessilis and Maytenus erythroxyla (average height 3.8 m, average diameter 6.2 cm, basal area 39.28 m²/ha). The local flora includes floristic elements of caatinga, cerrado and restinga, corroborating the idea that the plant community of the coastal region of Ceará has an ecotonal nature.

ResumoMaior parte do território do Ceará é semiárido, clima no qual as cactáceas são abundantes. A despeito de sua representatividade, há poucos estudos sobre a família no estado, especialmente de

Regional land use changes at the Pacoti River basin, Ceará State, NE Brazil resulted in doubling the mangrove area from 1958 (0.71 km 2 ) to 2004 (1.44 km 2 ). Most of the increase was due to the replacing of salt marsh vegetation inland, but also along newly formed islands and enlarged river banks. Drastic reduction in freshwater supply and sediment accumulation due to river damming were probably the major drivers of the increased mangrove cover. However, changes due to global climate changes can not be ruled out.

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Although the conservation of tropical biodiversity depends on protected areas, there is still a very large 'gap' of knowledge on the flora of Brazilian reserves, especially in the Northeast region of Brazil. Field and herbarium surveys of the phanerogamic flora of the Ubajara National Park, located on the Brazilian Northeast, were made and analyses on phenology and dispersal syndromes were performed. 418 taxa (213 trees and shrubs, 100 terrestrial herbs, 68 climbing plants, 33 sub-shrubs, two epiphytes, one hemiparasite and one aquatic herb) were recorded. The most representative families were: Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Asteraceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The annual flowering / fruiting peak hypothesis was not fully confirmed, therefore, the forest may be an important food resource for the fauna all year long (especially in the moister region). Zoochory was the predominant dispersal syndrome in the moister area, whereas, autochory and anemochory together, predominated in the drier area.

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