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(Reference retrieved automatically from Google Scholar through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Tree species composition and similarity in semideciduous forest fragments of southeastern Brazil

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Author(s):
dos Santos‚ K. ; Kinoshita‚ L.S. ; Santos‚ F.A.M.
Total Authors: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: Biological Conservation; v. 135, n. 2, p. 268-277, 2007.
Abstract

This study investigates the influence of fragment size on tree species composition, species richness and on individual groups of species within 11 semideciduous forest fragments in southeastern Brazil. We compared same-sized samples of 500 trees from 10 fragments < 100 ha, allocated to three size categories, with three 500-tree samples collected in different areas within a large forest, used as a reference forest. The variation in species richness, in the proportion of species/individuals in dispersal modes, and in the proportion of rare species was not related to fragmerit size. Nonetheless, comparisons between the mean values of these variables of each fragment size categories, using 95% confidence intervals, showed a wider range of variation within the category of small-sized fragments than in the other size categories. NMS ordination plot also suggested the absence of a relationship between fragment area and tree species composition. However, multiple regressions using the scores from the NMS ordination as response variables, and area and disturbance intensities as predictor variables, suggested that the interaction of area and disturbance might be a good predictor of species composition. Pre-existing environmental heterogeneity and geographical proximity also appeared to play a role in the variations of forest composition among the fragments studied. Our results demonstrated the high conservation value of small forest fragments. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 99/06999-0 - Floristic and structural characterization of six fragments of the seasonal semidecidual forest in the environmental protection area of Souzas and Joaquim Egídio, Campinas, SP
Grantee:Luiza Sumiko Kinoshita
Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants