DIVERSITY OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY IN A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT, THE BRAZILIAN ATLANTIC FOREST

Resumo

Less is known about the epiphytes in the urban environment, a synusia that is extremely relevant in the Atlantic Domain, where the studied area is located, the campus of the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, which possesses Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in a secondary stage of regeneration (FT), as well as green areas and cultivated trees within public areas (UT). The study was conducted between March 2012 and September 2013. We recorded 43 species, being Bromeliaceae the richest family (nine spp.). Among the ecological category it must be highlighted the accidental holoepiphytes (16 spp.), number probably attributed to the disturbed environment. The UT harbor 42 species, while 15 occur in the FT. The taxonomic distinctness was higher in UT (77.933 versus 76.762); however, the variation in taxonomic distinctness was higher in the FT than in UT (861.9 and 626.4, respectively). Therefore, the degree of disturbance is similar in both environments, although the unevenness is higher in theFT.Similarity analyses showed the importance of vegetation formation and distance of ocean in the recognition of relationships between the flora of vascular epiphytes in urban environment. The results suggest that such vegetation exhibits changes in the composition of species of vascular epiphytes, but highlights the relevance of cultivated trees in such environments for their occurrence.

 Keywords: Disturbed Environment. Novel Ecosystems. Similarity Analysis. Taxonomic Distinctness. Urban vegetation.