Floristic composition and structure of an upper montane cloud forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira Mountain Range of Brazil

Abstract

We analyzed the community structure of an upper montane cloud forest (elevation, 1900 m) in the Serra da Mantiqueira Mountain Range, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Our objective was to determine the comparative tree species richness and floristic diversity within this forest, which is at one of the higher elevations in the range, in relation to surrounding forests that are at lower elevations, adjusting for elevational gradients. Within 15 permanent plots (40 × 10 m each), we tagged all tree individuals with a diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm, registering their height and diameter. To compare the study area with neighboring cloud forests, we used the Sørensen similarity coefficient and phytosociological parameters. We sampled 1250 individuals distributed among 89 species, 55 genera, and 34 families. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed no gradients related to the vegetation or soil. We found that tree species richness and diversity were high in the study area. There was structural and floristic heterogeneity among the communities evaluated, underscoring the importance of conservation of these high-elevation ecosystems, which are so unique and irreplaceable.

Assessing Atlantic cloud forest extent and protection status in southeastern Brazil

“…Conversely, the Atlantic cloud forests were shown to be floristically distinct from the equally wet coastal Atlantic rain forests, with Drimys brasiliensis, Ilex microdonta, and Weinmannia paulliniifolia being key indicator species for the cloud forest (Bertoncello et al, 2011). In the SdM, cloud forests are also the preferred habitat of species like Cabralea canjerana, Lamanonia ternata, Myrcia splendens, Myrsine umbellata, as well as Prunus myrtifolia (Pompeu et al, 2014).…”

“…comprises a number of sub-types, including various rain forests and semi-deciduous forests as well as subtropical Araucaria forest whose floristics in southeastern Brazil has been described in some detail by Oliveira-Filho and Fontes (2000). Atlantic cloud forests have been much less researched botanically (Falkenberg & Voltolini, 1995;Pompeu et al, 2014) but a recent regional study indicated they constitute a distinct floristic and phytogeographical unit (Bertoncello et al, 2011). This opens up possibilities for mapping regional and local cloud forest extent based on the demonstrated occurrence of forest formation A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T units (Webster, 1995).…”

“…The remaining cloud forests of southeastern Brazil occur primarily in two coastal mountain ranges (the Serra do Mar and the Aparados da Serra; Aldrich, Billington, Edwards, & Laidlaw,1997) and in the Serra da Mantiqueira, a less explored mountain range located further inland. Knowledge of the floristic composition and biogeography of these montane forests is still limited (Bertoncello et al, 2011;Pompeu et al, 2014;Meireles & Shepherd, 2015).…”

Phanerogamic flora and phytogeography of the Cloud Dwarf Forests of Ibitipoca State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…al. (2018), Oliveira-Filho et al (2013), and Pompeu et al (2014), among others. Nevertheless, the great environmental heterogeneity presented by this mountain chain has not been sufficiently detailed (Martinelli 2007).…”

Richness, Structure and Vegetation Relationships of the Woody Layer in an Upper Montane Forest in Caparaó National Park, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

“…The ten sampling units were compared in relation to species abundance in each unit using correspondence analysis (CA). Species lists of UMF from six other localities in Paraná, Minas Gerais and São Paulo states (Portes et al 2001, França & Stehmann 2004, Meireles et al 2008, Valente et al 2011, Pompeu et al 2014, Meireles & Shepherd 2015 ; Table 1) were used in non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to obtain the floristic similarity between locations. In NMDS, we considered only the woody component, including tree ferns.…”