Structure and floristic pattern of a coastal dunes in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Th e Brazilian shrublands area (restinga) is composed of marine coast vegetation on Quaternary sandy plains, where the species composition can vary depending on the surrounding ecosystems. Th e aims of this study were to describe the structure and fl oristic composition of a restinga near the community of Itaúnas, in the northern part of the state of Espírito Santo, to identify any relationships between this restinga and surrounding plant formations, and to determine which are the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We sampled woody plants with a diameter at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm, excluding lianas, in 50 plots of 100 m². We selected studies of coastal forests in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia to prepare a database that would reveal patterns of fl oristic variation among these areas. We used two-way indicator species analysis for the identifi cation of the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We identifi ed 114 species belonging to 38 families. Species richness was greatest for Myrtaceae (26 species), followed by Fabaceae (10). Th e Shannon index for the study area was 3.96. Th e estimated total density was 3,330 individuals/ha and basal area was 32.02 m²/ha. Th e highest importance value (IV) was for Protium heptaphyllum (IV, 23.4), indicating that it is characteristic of the Espírito Santo restinga. Th e results of our fl oristic analysis indicate that the species composition of the Itaúnas restinga is infl uenced by the so-called tabuleiro forests (coastal lowland forests on Tertiary deposits), which are most common in northern Espírito Santo. Th is seems to be the main factor responsible for the gradual reduction in fl oristic similarity between the restingas in the north of Espírito Santo and those in the south of the state, each constituting a distinct fl oristic block. In addition, we generated lists of species that occur preferentially in the restinga and tabuleiro forests. Th ose lists could inform decisions regarding environmental restoration programs.

<b>Useful woody species and its environmental availability: the case of artisanal fishermen in Itaúnas, Brazil

“…P .heptaphyllum, Ocotea notata and Clusia hilariana had the biggest Importance Values (IV) among woody species from the Shrubby Formation (SF) (Monteiro et al, 2014). Protium heptaphyllum, Ocotea lobi and Tapirira guianensis had the highest IVs on Forest Formation (FF) (Giaretta et al, 2013).…”

“…The restinga, a vegetation type of the Brazilian coast, presents distinct phytophisiognomies through environmental gradients (Scarano, 2002), with eleven of these formations being described for Espírito Santo state (Pereira, 2003). An expressive floristic diversity has been reported for this state (Assis, Pereira, & Thomaz, 2004, Giaretta, Menezes, & Pereira, 2013, as well as for types of uses for plants occurring on restinga, Lopes & Lobão, 2013). However, real estate speculation and touristic demands generate threats to vegetal resources conservation on this ecosystem (Thomazi, Rocha, Oliveira, Bruno, & Silva, 2013).…”

“…From the total of species mentioned in the ethno botanical survey (Lopes & Lobão, 2013), 38% (30 species) were also sampled in structural surveys of the vegetation in Itaúnas region: in forest in 2009 and 2010, in which the authors used the permanent plots methods (Giaretta et al, 2013), and open shrubby formations in 2010, in which the authors used the line intercept methods (Monteiro, Giaretta, Pereira, & Menezes, 2014). A total of 30 species were selected for this study's analysis.…”

“…A total of 30 species were selected for this study's analysis. More detailed information about interviews and plant collections can be found in Lopes and Lobão (2013), and about the structural survey in Giaretta et al (2013) and Monteiro et al (2014).…”

“…Use-value is an index in which the ratio between amount of species citation and number of interviewed informers is calculated (Rossato et al, 1999). For the same plants, absolute density and frequency, and importance value in sampled environments were also verified (Giaretta et al, 2013, Monteiro et al, 2014. Importance value is an index resulting from the sum of relative density, relative dominance and relative frequency values of the species in the ecosystem.…”