Floristic composition, environmental variation and species distribution patterns in burned grassland in southern Brazil

Brazilian Journal of Biology

G. E. Overbeck²  S. C. Müller¹  V. D. Pillar¹  J. Pfadenhauer² 

[1] ,Technische Universität München Vegetation Ecology Freising-Weihenstephan,Germany

关键词: diversity;    fire;    grassland;    southern Brazil;    species distribution patterns;    Brasil meridional;    campos;    distribuição de espécies;    diversidade;    fogo;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1519-69842006000600015

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

In regularly burned grassland on Morro Santana, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, we investigated differences in the floristic composition and their relation to soil properties, aspect and distance from the forest border. In 48 plots of 0.75 m², we identified a total of 201 species from a local species pool of approximately 450 to 500 species. Most species occurred in low frequencies, showing clumpy distribution patterns in the studied area. Multivariate analysis showed that plots close to the forest edge clearly differed from plots in the open grassland concerning composition and structure. Plots exposed to the north differed from plots on the top of the hill both in the composition of species as well as in soil variables, mainly due to shallower soil in the former. No strong relation between soil properties and variation in vegetation composition could be detected at a finer scale. The studied grassland, as all grassland vegetation in southern Brazil, is very rich in species compared to other grassland formations worldwide. However, this high biodiversity and conservational value of Campos vegetation in general has so far not been recognized properly. Disturbance is essential to maintain this open vegetation type and its species richness. Fire should be considered as a management option in the absence of grazing.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
 All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License