The pattern of high plant diversity of Neotropical inselbergs: highlighting endemic, threatened and unique species

Herval Vieira Pinto-Junior,Luis Fernando Tavares De Menezes,Pedro Manuel Villa,Miriam Cristina Alvarez Pereira

doi:10.1590/0102-33062020abb0129

Herval Vieira Pinto-Junior, Luis Fernando Tavares De Menezes + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062020abb0129

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Understanding how multiple drivers shape plant community diversity across environmental gradients is one of the most important issues in plant ecology and biodiversity conservation. We aimed to analyse plant community structure and diversity in four inselbergs in Espirito Santo State, Brazil. We evaluated species diversity, floristic composition and similarity, phytosociological structure, occurrence, and conservation status of rupicolous flora in the inselberg communities. We used field expeditions and plant inventory data from 370 sampling units. We estimated floristic similarity and compared diversity indexes among inselbergs. We observed marked differences in community structure and diversity among inselbergs, where the southern region had the highest number of taxa and higher values of diversity indices. There were also notable differences in floristic composition and phytosociological structure, with a decrease in similarity as geographical distance increased. This finding demonstrated the existence of differences in the patterns of dominance and vegetation cover along the latitudinal gradient, as well as differences in endemic, threatened, and exclusive species, and represents a first step toward establishing criteria for biodiversity conservation for inselbergs in Espirito Santo State.

Highlights

Inselbergs are usually rocky granite outcrops that emerge abruptly from their surrounding ecosystems, such as savannah and forests, representing isolated terrestrial islands (Porembski & Barthlott 2000; Parmentier & Hardy 2009)
Floristic composition and similarity, phytosociological structure, occurrence, and conservation status of rupicolous flora in the inselberg communities
There were notable differences in floristic composition and phytosociological structure, with a decrease in similarity as geographical distance increased. This finding demonstrated the existence of differences in the patterns of dominance and vegetation cover along the latitudinal gradient, as well as differences in endemic, threatened, and exclusive species, and represents a first step toward establishing criteria for biodiversity conservation for inselbergs in Espírito Santo State

Summary

Introduction

Inselbergs are usually rocky granite outcrops that emerge abruptly from their surrounding ecosystems, such as savannah and forests, representing isolated terrestrial islands (Porembski & Barthlott 2000; Parmentier & Hardy 2009). Even with few and specific studies carried out in Espírito Santo State (Esgario et al 2009; Couto et al 2016; 2017; 2019; Francisco et al 2018; Pena & Alves-Araújo 2017; Pinto-Junior et al 2020), the granitic inselbergs were listed as priority areas for conservation (Martinelli 2007), and have been described as vegetation relicts and ecological refuges (IBGE 2012). These inselbergs are threatened, mostly due to exploration and trading ornamental rocks (Campello 2000)

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