Abstract
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is considered a global hotspot for biodiversity although it is currently threatened and highly fragmented. Orchidaceae in this phytogeographical domain is represented by 148 genera, of which 142 are endemic; Rio de Janeiro State contains approximately one third of all Brazilian orchid species. The Wildlife Protection Zone of the Palmares Environmental Protection Area (ZVS da APA Palmares) is located in the municipality of Paty do Alferes in Rio de Janeiro State and forms a mosaic of Dense Ombrophilous Forest fragments together with other conservation areas in the state. We surveyed Orchidaceae at 12 collection sites between July 2010 and February 2012 and analyzed floristic similarities between the collection sites and between 12 fragments of dense ombrophilous forest in Brazil utilizing PAST software and the Sorensen coefficient. The survey identified 27 genera and 43 species. Low indices of similarity among the areas were observed as well as weak support for grouping the ZVS da APA Palmares with the Serra da Tiririca Mountains. Greater conservation efforts are recommended for remnant fragments of Dense Ombrophilous Forest.
Highlights
Orchidaceae is one of the largest botanical families and comprises approximately 25,000 species, corresponding to 6%–11% of all angiosperms (Ackerman 1998)
According to Barros et al (2014), 2455 orchid species occur in Brazil, with 796 species distributed among 149 genera in the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro State
A total of 2478 individuals belonging to 27 genera and 43 species were encountered in the established collection sites
Summary
Orchidaceae is one of the largest botanical families and comprises approximately 25,000 species, corresponding to 6%–11% of all angiosperms (Ackerman 1998) This family has a cosmopolitan distribution, most species occur in neotropical regions in humid forests and at medium altitudes (F Pinheiro et al 2004). The Atlantic Forest is perhaps the most threatened Brazilian biome and a global biodiversity hotspot. This once expansive forest is presently composed of small and mostly isolated remnant fragments (
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