Abstract
Scientific information about the distribution of species richness and diversity is necessary for full comprehension of our evolutionary heritage forming a powerful tool for the development of nature conservation strategies. The aim of this article was to estimate the vascular plant species richness of the campos rupestres from the Itacolomi State Park (ISP) in order to verify the park´s classification as a local hotspot of biodiversity and to outline the status quo of knowledge about biodiversity in the region. For that, the species richness of two phytosociological surveys of 0.15 ha each were extrapolated using (a) the species-area relationship fitted by the power and the logarithmic model as well as (b) the taxon ratio model. The taxon ratio model estimates total vascular plant species richness to 1109 species using seven different taxa. Extrapolations of different fittings of the species-area relationships calculate the complete park’s richness to values between 241 and 386 (logarithmic model), and 3346 to 10421 (power model). These extrapolations are far beyond realistic: the logarithmic model underestimates the park´s species richness, because more than 520 vascular plant species have already been registered in the park. On the other hand, it is not plausible that one-fourth or more of all species registered so far in the Atlantic Tropical Forest Biome occur in the ISP as indicated by the extrapolation with the power model. The most realistic estimation was achieved by the taxon ratio model. Although confidence intervals are large, the species richness estimated by this method legitimates the classification of the ISP as a local hotspot of biodiversity, but this value also outlines the lack of knowledge about biodiversity in this region and the urgent need for more taxonomical and ecological research. Key words: campos rupestres , species-area relationship, taxon ratios, Espinhaco Mountain Range.
Highlights
Species richness and diversity are intriguing subjects that ecologists seek to understand in the context of evolutionary and ecological processes (e.g., Hubbell, 2001; Webb et al, 2002; Cavender-Bares et al, 2009; HilleRisLambers et al, 2012)
The aim of this paper was to estimate the total number of vascular plants of all campos rupestres from the Itacolomi State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil, by the taxon ratio model and by extrapolations of the species-area relationship
Further surveys (e.g. Peron, 1989; Casarino et al, 2009) might enrich the list. This fact discards the extrapolations from the species accumulation curve using the logarithmic model because they underestimate the vascular plant species richness of the campos rupestres from the Itacolomi State Park (ISP) below the number of already registered species
Summary
Species richness and diversity are intriguing subjects that ecologists seek to understand in the context of evolutionary and ecological processes (e.g., Hubbell, 2001; Webb et al, 2002; Cavender-Bares et al, 2009; HilleRisLambers et al, 2012). For full comprehension of our evolutionary heritage (May, 2011), mankind is trying to answer questions such as “How many species are there on earth?” or even in a specific country or site (May, 1988; Scotland and Wortley, 2003; Mora et al, 2011) Such information is relevant because the knowledge about the distribution of extant species richness and diversity as phenomena provides powerful tools for the prediction of extinction rates caused by human impacts or climate change (Lewis, 2006), the development of conservation policies (Brooks et al, 2006; Killeen and Solórzano, 2008; Pardini et al, 2009; Ribeiro et al, 2009) and the declaration of superregional or local biological hotspots (Myers et al, 2000; Orme et al, 2005).
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