Spatial and seasonal variation in the species richness and abundance of ferns and lycophytes in gallery forests of Cerrado in Central Brazil

Ferns and Lycophytes from the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins: a contribution to the flora of the Jalapão, Brazil

“…1), predominantly in the understory, where pteridophytes occupy several microenvironments. A predominance of pteridophytes in wet forests (Mata de galeria and Mata cCiliar) has been reported in other studies in the Cerrado (Colli et al 2004;Fernandes et al 2022;Kreutz et al 2016;Miguez et al 2013;Nunes & Labiak 2021). Compared to those studies, the species number reported here is relatively low, considering the expanded size of the EESGT.…”

“…The high number of species recorded in the "Cachoeira da Fumaça" is probably associated with this unique and heterogeneous microclimate related to humidity and shade (forest stratification) gradients, as well as the diversity of substrates and high abundance of litter. Indeed, the high species richness of ferns is associated with environmental heterogeneity in Cerrado gallery forests (Kreutz et al 2016).…”

“…The lower species richness in the Cerrado, which is dominated by open habitats under a seasonally dry climate, reflects the ecological preference of most pteridophyte groups for moist and forested areas. Nevertheless, many species can be found in wet environments associated with water bodies, such as gallery forests and swamps (Colli et al 2004;Fernandes et al 2022;Kreutz et al 2016;Miguez et al 2013;Nunes & Labiak 2021). On the other hand, some dry-adapted lineages have successfully colonized open habitats of the Cerrado, such as species of Anemia (Hietz 2010;Mickel 2016), a genus especially diverse in Central Brazil (Mickel 2016).…”