Life-forms, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes in plant communities on ironstone outcrops, SE Brazil

Jacobi, Claudia Maria; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do

doi:10.1590/s0102-33062011000200016

Cited by 46 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…When considering the traits, we discovered that our results were consistent with the results that were obtained for the outcrops of southeastern Brazil, since the importance of traits related to seed dispersal and pollination syndrome, which emphasizes animal pollination, zoochory and anemochory, were also stressed (Jacobi & Carmo ). Some of our suggested traits were also highlighted in previous studies related to the restoration of outcrops.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Selecting plant species for practical restoration of degraded lands using a multiple-trait approach

et al. 2016

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Ecological restoration is essential in rehabilitating degraded areas and safeguarding biodiversity, ecosystem services and human welfare. Using functional traits to plan restoration strategies has been suggested as they are the main ecological attributes that underlie ecosystem processes and services. However, few studies have translated ecological theory into actual restoration practices that can be easily used by different stakeholders. In this article, we applied a multiple-trait approach to select plant species for the restoration of degraded lands inside the Brazilian Amazon Forests. We selected 10 traits encompassing ease of management, geographical distribution and interactions with animals and other ecosystem services and scored these traits using 118 native species. Then, we ranked all species according to the total number of traits that they exhibited to obtain a list of 53 highly ranked species. In addition, we employed non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to assess the variation in these traits across the entire group of species. Based on the results, we selected a subset of species that maximizes functional diversity (high variability). We performed a sparse linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) to highlight a minimum set of traits to effectively discriminate botanical families. The final list of species and their traits highlight the importance of preserving not only the historical reference of a focused ecosystem but also its functional diversity to restore the interaction with local fauna, enrich the food chain and guarantee ecosystem services for local communities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Selecting plant species for practical restoration of degraded lands using a multiple-trait approach

et al. 2016

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“…However, canga is home to relatively few annual plants (Jacobi and Carmo, 2011), partial or complete loss of aboveground organs is a common adaptation to dry season (Jacobi et al, 2007). …”

Section: Plant Biodiversity Portfoliomentioning

confidence: 99%

Canga biodiversity, a matter of mining

et al. 2014

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Brazilian name canga refers to the ecosystems associated with superficial iron crusts typical for the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (MG) and some parts of Amazon (Flona de Carajas). Iron stone is associated with mountain plateaux and so, in addition to high metal concentrations (particularly iron and manganese), canga ecosystems, as other rock outcrops, are characterized by isolation and environmental harshness. Canga inselbergs, all together, occupy no more than 200 km2 of area spread over thousands of km2 of the Iron Quadrangle (MG) and the Flona de Carajas, resulting in considerable beta biodiversity. Moreover, the presence of different microhabitats within the iron crust is associated with high alpha biodiversity. Hundreds of angiosperm species have been reported so far across remote canga inselbergs and different micro-habitats. Among these are endemics such as the cactus Arthrocereus glaziovii and the medicinal plant Pilocarpus microphyllus. Canga is also home to iron and manganese metallophytes; species that evolved to tolerate high metal concentrations. These are particularly interesting to study metal homeostasis as both iron and manganese are essential plant micro-elements. Besides being models for metal metabolism, metallophytes can be used for bio-remediation of metal contaminated sites, and as such are considered among priority species for canga restoration. “Biodiversity mining” is not the only mining business attracted to canga. Open cast iron mining generates as much as 5–6% of Brazilian gross domestic product and dialog between mining companies, government, society, and ecologists, enforced by legal regulation, is ongoing to find compromise for canga protection, and where mining is unavoidable for ecosystem restoration. Environmental factors that shaped canga vegetation, canga biodiversity, physiological mechanisms to play a role, and ways to protect and restore canga will be reviewed.

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“…We conducted our study in a protected area (Rola Moça State Park) of the southern portion of the Espinhaço Range, a long chain of mountains parallel to the Atlantic Ocean in southeast Brazil. In this region, known as the Iron Quadrangle, ironstone outcrops (or cangas) usually cover the mountaintops (Jacobi & Carmo ). The climate is mesothermal and Cwa according to the classification of Köppen (Nimer & Brandão ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource‐directed foraging of the Neotropical mistletoe Struthanthus flexicaulis (Loranthaceae)

et al. 2017

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Some parasitic plants are capable of vegetative propagation, which allows them access to new hosts and improves nutrient availability. We aimed to determine what factors positively influence this propagation in the xylem-tapping Struthanthus flexicaulis, focusing on the use of directed foraging as a means of optimising access to resources. The study site was a rupicolous plant community in southeast Brazil. We evaluated how the success of branch propagation (by contagion) of the mistletoe is influenced by the crown height and density of its main host, the legume Mimosa calodendron. Oriented foraging was tested through comparing the response of mistletoe branches toward a potential host (resources) or a plastic net (no resources). Successful contagion was related to high density and the departure height of a branch from a host crown. In a high-density area, 89% of branches reached a new host versus 21% in a low-density area. Formation of an appressorium on either the plastic nets or hosts elicited branch growth reorientation towards it, as well as development of new branches. These responses were significantly stronger towards hosts than nets, and attributed to effective xylem tapping. The foraging strategy of S. flexicaulis benefits from branch response (growth and reorientation) to the development of appressoria and their resulting haustoria. The growth of appressoria on non-resource substrates and the ensuing response optimises the mistletoe spread by allowing these substrates to act as physical support for spreading branches and to infect a host that was previously out of reach.

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Life-forms, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes in plant communities on ironstone outcrops, SE Brazil

Cited by 46 publications

References 28 publications

Selecting plant species for practical restoration of degraded lands using a multiple-trait approach

Selecting plant species for practical restoration of degraded lands using a multiple-trait approach

Canga biodiversity, a matter of mining

Resource‐directed foraging of the Neotropical mistletoe Struthanthus flexicaulis (Loranthaceae)

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