Abstract
Rigorous and well-defined criteria for the classification of vegetation constitute a prerequisite for effective biodiversity conservation strategies. In 2009, a new classification system was proposed for vegetation types in extra-Andean tropical and subtropical South America. The new system expanded upon the criteria established in the existing Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics classification system. Here, we attempted to determine whether the tree species composition of the formations within the Atlantic Forest Biome of Brazil is consistent with this new classification system. We compiled floristic surveys of 394 sites in southeastern Brazil (between 15o and 25oS; and between the Atlantic coast and 55oW). To assess the floristic consistency of the vegetation types, we performed non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination analysis, followed by multifactorial ANOVA. The vegetation types, especially in terms of their thermal regimes, elevational belts and top-tier vegetation categories, were consistently discriminated in the first NMDS axis, and all assessed attributes showed at least one significant difference in the second axis. As was expected on the basis of the theoretical background, we found that tree species composition, in the areas of Atlantic Forest studied, was highly consistent with the new system of classification. Our findings not only help solidify the position of this new classification system but also contribute to expanding the knowledge of the patterns and underlying driving forces of the distribution of vegetation in the region.
Highlights
Brazil harbors nearly 20% of the global flora, making it the most biodiverse region in the world (Giulietti et al 2005)
In the Atlantic Forest Biome, that a number of factors, such as precipitation, temperature and altitude, affect the distribution of tree species (Oliveira-Filho & Fontes 2000; Oliveira-Filho et al 2005; Oliveira 2006; Cerqueira 2011; Marques et al 2011; Santos et al 2011). This was the first formal study evaluating the floristic consistency of vegetation classification systems, following a rigorous statistic treatment with a large dataset, in this biome
In the case of broadleaved dwarf forests, the main driving forces of this dissociation typically include the restrictive environments of peripheral areas of the Atlantic Forest Biome, such as coastal sand dunes and rocky mountain tops (Scarano 2002)
Summary
Brazil harbors nearly 20% of the global flora, making it the most biodiverse region in the world (Giulietti et al 2005). The Atlantic Forest Biome, in particular, is one of 35 areas listed as global hotspots for wildlife conservation (Myers et al 2000; Mittermeier et al 2004; Zachos & Habel 2011). The richness of angiosperms in this biome has recently been estimated at over 13,000 species, half of which are endemic (Stehmann et al 2011). Despite the high levels of diversity and endemism, the degree of threat to the conservation of the Atlantic Forest is alarming (Myers et al 2000; Mittermeier et al 2004; Ribeiro et al 2011), the forest cover having been reduced to 11.4-16% of its original extent (Ribeiro et al 2009)
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