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three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer‐reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data.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.

No abstract

Montane environments create unique conditions that favour the development of remarkably rich and endemic biotas. The Serra da Mantiqueira is an important Brazilian mountain range and is recognised globally for certain groups of living organisms, whereas gaps in knowledge exist for other groups, such as epiphytes, which have been poorly studied in the region. The Serra da Mantiqueira contains rare fragments of a vegetation formation, the mixed ombrophilous forest (MOF), which is typical of the Southern Region of Brazil and is very threatened. The present study aimed to analyse the epiphytic communities occurring on individuals of Podocarpus lambertii Klotzsch ex Endl. (Podocarpaceae) in two biotopes: natural patches and continuous alluvial forest. We sampled 60 phorophytes, equally divided between the sites, and established five strata according to stem ramification. This phorophyte species is ecologically relevant, since it harbours 92 species and 19 families, and a single individual may support up to 30 % of the total richness of the studied community. The Shannon diversity index was 3.86, which is comparable to that found in other studies dealing with several phorophyte species and is the highest found to date for the MOF. The biotopes and strata did not show significant differences in the calculated diversity indices, except in richness (80 species in the alluvial forest and 60 in the patches). The most representative ecological categories were characteristic holoepiphytes (73 species) and accidental holoepiphytes (nine species). The present study shows the importance that a single species can have in an ecosystem and contributes to our knowledge concerning epiphytic synusia in mountainous environments. Keywords Community ecology Á Mixed ombrophilous forest Á Montane forest Á Podocarpus lambertii Á Serra da Mantiqueira Á Taxonomic diversity

Only a few studies regarding vascular epiphytes have been conducted in mixed ombrophilous forests (MOF) in Serra da Mantiqueira, a mountainous environment in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where the relationships of epiphytic fl ora with other physiognomies are unknown. Th is study aimed to survey the epiphytes of a MOF remnant located in Serra da Mantiqueira, and to analyze the fl oristic relationships with ombrophilous forests of the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. Th e checklist was compared with 51 other areas composed of ombrophilous forests and/or ecotones with other physiognomies using UPGMA (with Sørensen index), and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). We recorded 138 species, and Orchidaceae and Polypodiaceae were the richest families (51 and 23 species, respectively). Th e UPGMA showed the importance of physiognomy and elevation in the fl oristic relationships, and CCA reinforced the infl uence of elevation, in addition to the shortest distance to the ocean and minimum annual temperature; however, in this analysis, the physiognomies showed little infl uence on the relationships. Th e epiphytic fl ora of MOF of Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil has diff erent relationships compared with the data available for shrubs and trees, suggesting a greater importance of phorophytic species than geographical distance and, to some extent, environmental variables.

Vascular epiphytes are a diverse and conspicuous component of biodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests. Yet, the patterns and drivers of epiphyte assemblages are poorly studied in comparison with soil-rooted plants. Current knowledge about diversity patterns of epiphytes mainly stems from local studies or floristic inventories, but this information has not yet been integrated to allow a better understanding of large-scale distribution patterns. EpIG-DB, the first database on epiphyte assemblages at the continental scale, resulted from an exhaustive compilation of published and unpublished inventory data from the Neotropics. The current version of EpIG-DB consists of 463,196 individual epiphytes from 3,005 species, which were collected from a total of 18,148 relevés (host trees and 'understory' plots). EpIG-DB reports the occurrence of 'true' epiphytes, hemiepiphytes and nomadic vines, including information on their cover, abundance, frequency and biomass. Most records (97%) correspond to sampled host trees, 76% of them aggregated in forest plots. The data is stored in a TURBOVEG database using the most up-to-date checklist of vascular epiphytes. A total of 18 additional fields were created for the standardization of associated data commonly used in epiphyte ecology (e.g. by considering different sampling methods). EpIG-DB currently covers six major biomes across the whole latitudinal range of epiphytes in the Neotropics but welcomes data globally. This novel database provides, for the first time, unique biodiversity data on epiphytes for the Neotropics and unified guidelines for future collection of epiphyte data. EpIG-DB will allow exploration of new ways to study the community ecology and biogeography of vascular epiphytes. K E Y W O R D S biodiversity, community ecology, database, forest plot, hemiepiphytes, Neotropics, nomadic vines, taxonomic diversity, vascular epiphytes, vegetation relevé 520 |

Epiphytes are an important component of the diversity of tropical forests, and they also have several ecological functions. Vegetation heterogeneity is one of the features responsible for the high biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest, especially in the domain’s seasonal semideciduous forest (SSF). This biodiversity presents as high endemism and species richness. Owing to the seasonal nature of SSF, organisms that require high humidity (e.g. epiphytes) would be expected to show low species richness in these forests. The aims of this study were to conduct a survey of the vascular epiphytes in remnants of montane SSF in the Serra do Ibitipoca, Brazil, and to evaluate the importance of habitat heterogeneity for the richness and composition of species in these areas. We also evaluated whether the intrinsic characteristics of the SSF phytophysiognomy and fragmentation could result in low species richness and a high number of accidental epiphyte species. The study was conducted in the course of 18 expeditions undertaken between September 2013 and December 2016, covering five fragments of montane SSF (totalling 23.6 ha). We recorded 96 species (only one of which is an accidental epiphyte), distributed across 41 genera and 10 families. This is the highest epiphytic species richness recorded in Brazilian SSF to date. The results refuted the initial hypothesis and reinforce the importance to the epiphytic community of conservation of fragments with different structures.

-(Diversity, vertical structure and floristic relationships of vascular epiphytes in an urban remnant of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest). This study was conducted in a fragment of montane seasonal semi-deciduous forest (Minas Gerais State) with a history of anthropogenic disturbance. Our goals were to characterise the composition, structure and floristic diversity of vascular epiphytes and to investigate the floristic similarities of the community with other areas of urban seasonal forests in Brazil. We sampled 61 phorophytes with 47 epiphytic species. The richest families were Bromeliaceae (seven) and Polypodiaceae (seven). The most common ecological category was accidental holoepiphytes with 21 speciesan unprecedented result for the Neotropical region. The Shannon index was 2.95 and the Pielou evenness index 0.77, showing a relatively high diversity with a few dominant species and numerous rare species. Similarity analyses showed a longitudinal gradient and strong influence of the distance from the ocean on floristic relationships as well as influence of dense ombrophilous forests on the composition of the vascular epiphytes of the surveyed area. Keywords: accidental holoepiphytes, biodiversity hotspot, multivariate analyses, taxonomic diversity, urban forest RESUMO -(Diversidade, estrutura vertical e relações florísticas de epífitas vasculares em um remanescente urbano da Floresta Atlântica brasileira). Este estudo foi realizado em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual montana (Minas Gerais) com histórico de perturbação antrópica. Os objetivos foram caracterizar a composição, estrutura e diversidade florística das epífitas vasculares e investigar a similaridade florística da comunidade com outras áreas de florestas estacionais urbanas no Brasil. Foram amostrados 61 forófitos e registradas 47 espécies de epífitas. As famílias mais ricas foram Bromeliaceae (sete) e Polypodiaceae (sete). A categoria ecológica mais comum foi a de holoepífitas acidentais com 21 espécies -um resultado inédito na Região Neotropical. O índice de Shannon foi 2,95 e o índice de uniformidade de Pielou foi 0,77, mostrando diversidade relativamente alta com certa dominância de poucas espécies, enquanto as espécies raras foram numerosas. Análises de similaridade mostraram gradiente longitudinal e forte influência da distância do oceano sobre as relações florísticas, assim como influência das florestas ombrófilas densas sobre a composição das epífitas vasculares na área estudada. Palavras-chave: análises multivariadas, diversidade taxonômica, floresta urbana, holoepífitas acidentais, "hotspot" de biodiversidade

The shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora.