Brazilian Páramos I. An introduction to the physical environment and vegetation of the campos de altitude

Abstract

Summary Aim The campos de altitude are a series of cool‐humid, grass‐dominated formations restricted to the highest summits of the southeastern Brazilian Highlands. Relatively little is known of the ecology, biogeography, or developmental history of this archipelago of mountaintop formations. This contribution presents an overview of our present state of knowledge with respect to the past and present physical environment and vegetation of the campos de altitude. The aim is (1) to introduce an international audience to the natural history of these diminutive yet important ecosystems, and (2) to provide the background for a series of forthcoming contributions that will treat the ecology of the campos de altitude and explore physical and biotic relationships between these ‘Brazilian páramos’ and similar formations in the high mountains of equatorial South and Central America. Location Beginning at altitudes of 1800–2000 m, the campos de altitude are found atop the highest summits of the main ranges of the southeastern Brazilian Highlands, between the states of Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais/Espírito Santo. Methods Drawing upon both original data and previously published results, this contribution reviews what we presently know about the physical environment and vegetation of the campos de altitude, in the context of geographic setting, geology, palaeoclimatology and palaeobotany, modern climate, modern vegetation, and conservation. Results and main conclusions Uplift of the southeastern Brazilian ranges to altitudes high enough to support orographic grasslands may have occurred as early as the middle‐ to late‐Tertiary; pollen records show that campos de altitude have been extant on southeastern summits at least since the Late Pleistocene. The present‐day climate of the campos de altitude is cool and (per)humid, but patterns of rainfall, temperature, and frost are distinctly seasonal. Although the flora of the campos de altitude is highly diverse and characterized by a high degree of endemism, the campos de altitude maintain strong floristic similarities to equatorial alpine formations of the Andean and Central American Cordillera; these similarities also extend to climate, soils, and vegetation physiognomy. Anthropogenic fires and grazing are widespread in the campos de altitude and probably contribute significantly to the modern structure of vegetation communities.

Gall-inducing insects from Campos de Altitude, Brazil

“…In this study, the family Asteraceae was also the most frequent, representing 33% of the plants collected, followed by the Melastomataceae (17%). These results corroborate data of Safford (1999) from Campos de Altitude. The author demonstrates that Asteraceae represents (20%) of all the floristic richness, whereas the genus Baccharis is responsible for 5% of it.…”

“…However, it is unclear as to why the results from Rupestrian Fields and Campos de Altitude were the only ones to show this pattern in Brazil. Perhaps, since these sites are more exposed to abiotic factors such as wind, temperature variations and high fire frequency (Giulietti et al 1987, Giulietti & Pirani 1988, Safford 1999, (c-d)), Orchidaceae (Epidendrum secundum (e-f)), Pentaphylacaceae (Ternstroemia brasiliensis (g-h), Poaceae (Chusquea pinifolia (i)), Verbenaceae (Lantana sp1 (j-k), sp1 (l), sp2 (m)).…”

“…This is the first study that describes the galls and their host plants from Altitudinal Fields. Among the seven priorities for research and conservation of Campos de Altitude traced by Safford (1999), stands out the need for increased efforts in floristic and faunal inventories. Poor understanding of the biological resources from conservation units as well as the lack of knowledge of what is endemic or what is threatened hinders the proper management of natural resources and prevents the mapping, endemism analysis, geographical distribution as well as diversity patterns, essential for the development of conservation strategies.…”

“…Adding to their biological and geological importance, mountain environments from southeastern Brazil are headwaters regions. For example, the Campos de Altitude associated with "Serra do Mar" and the Mantiqueira Range are responsible for supplying the water needs of 25% of the Brazilian population which may explain, per se their conservation (Safford 1999). Furthermore, Campos de Altitude from Mantiqueira Range and their disjunctions are associated with the Cerrado and Atlantic Rain Forest biomes, two biodiversity hotspots (Myers et al 2000).…”

Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of a rupestrian field at Cafuringa, Distrito Federal, Brazil: commented list of species

“…First, from biogeographical and historical point of view, rupestrian fields can be understood as islands or archipelagos surrounded by a matrix of low altitude areas. In long term, this isolation can favor speciation processes and thus, the occurrence of an exclusive highland fauna and flora (Safford 1999, Alves et al 2007, Azevedo et al 2008, Vasconcelos 2011) Secondly, soil features can be, for some taxa, a determinant factor on rupestrian field ecology, modeling the physiognomy and influencing the local biota (Eiten 1972).…”