Flora and Vegetation in Different Physiognomies of a Mussununga in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Mussununga is an understudied ecosystem within the Atlantic Forest domain, in sandy spodosol lowlands from Bahia to Espírito Santo. Its physiognomy varies from grassland to forest, with a transitional savannic area. We evaluated the life-form spectra differences between the grassland and savanna Mussunungas and its relationship with the depth of a soil impermeable layer (ortstein). The study area is located in the municipality of Linhares, Espírito Santo State. Ten plots were settled in each physiognomy. The floristic and vegetation spectra (accordingly to Raunkiaer) were compared using the G-test. A total of 35 species into three life-forms were found: Phanerophytes, hemicryptophytes and cryptophytes. The floristic spectra were similar in both physiognomies, with a greater richness of phanerophytes. However, the vegetation spectra of the two areas were different. Phanerophytes dominated in the savannas (where ortstein is deeper), while the shallower ortstein of the grasslands favored hemicryptophytes.

Floristic Composition of Buah Hitam Habitats in Lowland Tropical Mixed Forest of West Papua, Indonesia

“…The density of tree species in all three habitats formed an abundance of small individuals as a dynamic population process in the tropical forest. The habitats formed microclimate conditions such as sunlight, density, and humidity and have a consequence on the wood character of each tree species (Camargo & Marenco, 2017;Candido et al, 2019;Cordeiro et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2021). Regardless of the species compositing, the regeneration of tree species in three habitats of Buah Hitam was successfully established during the natural process.…”