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How substrate type and elevation drive woody communities and influence species ecological strategies in the Brazilian savanna at local scale.

Authors :
de Souza, Patrícia Corrêa Guedes
da Luz Lima Mota, Sílvia
Corrêa, Rodrigo Studart
Pinto, José Roberto Rodrigues
Source :
Ecological Research. Nov2023, Vol. 38 Issue 6, p815-827. 13p.
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Environmental heterogeneity can influence the formation of different vegetation types, even at small spatial scales. However, little is known about the factors that drive communities at local scales and species' mechanisms to adapt to different environments. Here, we investigated the influence of local environmental conditions and spatiality on the floristic variation of woody vegetation and ecological strategies of shrub‐tree species in the Brazilian savanna. We sampled adjacent sites in three substrate types—deep soil at high altitude (in Red Oxisol, with vegetation locally called Typical Cerrado—TCRO), deep soil, sandy and at low elevation (Typical Cerrado in Entisol Quartzipsamment—TCEQ), and shallow soil with rocky outcrops at high elevation (in Entisol Lithic, with vegetation known locally as Rupestrian Cerrado—RCEL). At each environment, we inventoried the vegetation, analyzed the physical–chemical soil properties, and recorded the elevation and geographic coordinates. For the most representative species of each site and the most common one among the environments, we evaluated the functional attributes (leaf nutrient concentration, specific leaf area, and maximum population heights). We showed that substrate type and elevation explain most of the floristic variation at the local scale and that the low nutritional demand constitutes the main strategy used by the species in RCEL, while in TCEQ and TCRO, species are more efficient in resource acquisition. Our results revealed that local ecological factors and processes drive species distribution. Therefore, variations in vegetation, even at the local scale must be considered to conserve biodiversity effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
09123814
Volume :
38
Issue :
6
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Ecological Research
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
173778307
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12413