Monodominant Stands in the Pantanal

Abstract

Monodominance is defined as a phenomenon whereby a single species can cover most of the terrain in comparison with other species. In tropical environments, monodominance can be considered as an odd phenomenon because of the high species diversity that is normally found in a single hectare. In the tropics, this phenomenon is more common in floodable environments where seasonal inundation has a driving role in determining monodominance because of the restrictions imposed by anoxia and/or hypoxia on plant roots. The Pantanal is one of the greatest floodplains in the world and the richest in the number of different monodominant stands, with 27 monodominant species. The monodominant species in the Pantanal are mainly pioneer, and almost all are related to inundation. In this chapter, we describe the main types of monodominant stands in the Pantanal, reviewing information on what is published about them and describing some others of which we have only field observation. We divided these monodominant stands into the trees and shrubs Tabebuia aurea, Byrsonima cydoniifolia, Vochysia divergens, Erythrina fusca, Leptobalanus parvifolius, Couepia uiti, Curatella americana, Handroanthus heptaphyllus, and Inga vera; the tree palms Copernicia alba, Attalea phalerata, Attalea speciosa, and Mauritia flexuosa; and the herbs Elionurus muticus, Oryza latifolia, Oryza rufipogon, Cyperus giganteus, Paspalum lineare, Paspalum carinatum, Andropogon hypogynus, Andropogon bicornis, Paspalum wrightii, Eichhornia spp., Heliconia marginata, Typha domingensis, Thalia geniculata, and Aspilia latissima. Locally, the monodominant occurrences of some species, such as B. cydoniifolia, C. alba, and Oryza spp., offer an opportunity for economical use, as they behave in the floodplain as natural plantations that have the potential to be used as renewable sources of food and other products.KeywordsEconomical useFloodable savannaMonodominanceSpecies richness