Diversity and Structure of Natural Regeneration in Swamp Forests in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Many factors can influence the structures and distributions of plant communities. Plant diversity of swamp forests reflect responses to water stress conditions. We evaluated the floristic diversity, structure, and composition of the regenerating shrub-tree species of six swamp forests in veredas ecosystems (northern Minas Gerais, Brazil), and the floristic similarities between them. All individuals ≥ 1 cm in diameter at ground level and < 3 cm in diameter at breast height were sampled in one hundred 25 m 2 plots in each area. A total of 5442 individuals were recorded, distributed among 134 species, 85 genera, and 47 botanical families, with a diversity (Shannon) of 3.38 and equability (Pielou) of 0.69. Beta diversity was high, while similarities between the areas were low, with only two species common to all six sites. The forests showed different compositions, diversities, and natural regeneration structures, reflecting their ecotone nature and past anthropic impacts.

Temperature as the main factor affecting the reproductive phenology of the dioecious palm Mauritiella armata (Arecaceae)

“…Veredas are important humid environments in the Cerrado that provide habitat for plant species with the ecological functions needed to maintain the water balance of those systems (Bijos et al 2017;Ávila et al 2021). Mauritiella armata, like M. flexuosa, is a key species in vereda ecosystems, and the species has high ecological and social importance.…”

Sexual and reproductive systems of woody species in vereda are distributed according to the life form and habitat occurrence

“…2015; Ávila et al . 2016, 2021). The veredas in this region are in the process of drought, with loss of springs (Nunes et al .…”

“…2022) and its landscape shows various anthropic activities, such as raising domestic animals, farming, grazing, harvesting wood and burning (Ávila et al . 2021). However, it is still possible to observe the presence of water above soil from the groundwater in some locals, and the vegetation presents a typical structure of hygrophilous environments, with the presence of two main zones (open areas and hygrophilous forest).…”

“…The veredas in the Rio Pandeiros EPA region, presents in their open areas drier to humid soil and a grassland formation, with predominance of herbaceous and sub-shrub/ shrub species. In the interior area, the veredas present a hygrophilous forest area, composed of all the vegetation strata, but mainly by tree species, many of them from riparian forest and Cerrado (Nunes et al 2015;Avila et al 2016Avila et al , 2021. The veredas in this region are in the process of drought, with loss of springs (Nunes et al 2022) and its landscape shows various anthropic activities, such as raising domestic animals, farming, grazing, harvesting wood and burning ( Avila et al 2021).…”

“…In the interior area, the veredas present a hygrophilous forest area, composed of all the vegetation strata, but mainly by tree species, many of them from riparian forest and Cerrado (Nunes et al 2015;Avila et al 2016Avila et al , 2021. The veredas in this region are in the process of drought, with loss of springs (Nunes et al 2022) and its landscape shows various anthropic activities, such as raising domestic animals, farming, grazing, harvesting wood and burning ( Avila et al 2021). However, it is still possible to observe the presence of water above soil from the groundwater in some locals, and the vegetation presents a typical structure of hygrophilous environments, with the presence of two main zones (open areas and hygrophilous forest).…”