The neglected tropical grasslands: first record of campo com murundus and its plant communities in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Autor(es)

Campos, Bruna Helena ; Pilon, Natashi Aparecida Lima ; Goncalves, Lucas ; Ivanauskas, Natalia Macedo ; Durigan, Giselda

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Biota Neotropica; v. 23, n. 1, p. 10-pg., 2023-01-01.

Resumo

Tropical grasslands have been systematically neglected worldwide in maps, conservation policies, and ecological studies. After eradicating invasive pine trees from a Cerrado reserve in southeastern Brazil, an unprecedented grassy ecosystem arose in recent satellite images. In the field, we confirmed the first record of wet grasslands with termite mounds - locally named campo com murundus. beyond 21 degrees S in the Sao Paulo state. Besides reporting this occurrence, we sampled the two plant communities forming this peculiar vegetation type (the mounds and the waterlogged matrix around them) to investigate if they are floristically and functionally distinct. We also explored how these two communities relate to those of the surrounding open vegetation types (savanna, dry and wet grassland). Woody plants were recorded on the mounds but not in the matrix, although the two communities share some ground layer species. Compared to the adjacent vegetation types, the mounds were floristically distinct and functionally more balanced in growth forms, dispersal syndrome, and tolerance to waterlogging. We hope this borderline record of campo com murundus can stimulate the search for other unnoticed remnants out of their known occurrence region, triggering efforts for their conservation and studies to improve comprehension of these iconic ecosystems. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 20/01378-0 - Campos naturais do estado de São Paulo: diagnóstico, manejo e conservação
• Beneficiário: Giselda Durigan
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 19/03463-8 - Influência de fatores ambientais e histórico de fogo sobre a estrutura, diversidade e composição de comunidades vegetais de fisionomias campestres de cerrado
• Beneficiário: Bruna Helena de Campos
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado