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Biogeography of epiphytic Angiosperms in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, a world biodiversity hotspot

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Abstract

This study aims to analyse the available distributional data about epiphytic Angiosperms of the Brazilian Atlantic forest (BAF) in order to define geographic distribution patterns, areas of higher species richness and endemism, and locate knowledge gaps regarding the epiphytic flora. Thus, we seek to enhance the knowledge of the biogeography of these species and highlight priority areas for their conservation. Distribution data from literature and collections housed in 51 herbaria were compiled and submitted to analyses of richness (species count per distribution grid), similarity and parsimony analysis of endemicity. The regions of higher richness and endemism, chiefly in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, overlap with those found for trees and animal groups, while the location of some areas of endemism coincide with the supposed existence of Pleistocene forest refuges in Brazil’s Northeastern and Southeastern regions. The Doce River seems to be responsible for the division of the Angiosperm epiphytic flora into north and south sectors of the BAF. In addition, the existence of a discontinuity named here as ‘Falha de Conde’ (Conde’s Gap) situated in the northern corner of the State of Bahia was highlighted. Such gap divides the north sector of the BAF into two segments. It was also found that the hydrographic basins influence the delimitation of those areas. Subsampling of parts of the range leads to information gaps that need to be addressed by further data collection to ensure an improved understanding of the biogeographic relation between some of the regions, and also to fully clarify their delimitation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico for the post-doctorate scholarship (LMN), scientific internship (SGF) and productivity Grants (RCF and ATOF). We wish to thank André Amorim (CEPEC) and the staff of Herbarium Bradeanum (HB) for access to their herbarium databases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Ensino Superior de Juiz de Fora, Campus Arnaldo Janssen, Rua Luz Interior 345, Santa Luzia, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36030-776, Brazil

    Luiz Menini Neto

  2. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Universitário, Martelos, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil

    Luiz Menini Neto & Samyra Gomes Furtado

  3. HLAA, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3AB, UK

    Daniela C. Zappi

  4. Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Ary Teixeira de Oliveira Filho

  5. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pacheco Leão 915, Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22460-030, Brazil

    Rafaela Campostrini Forzza

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  1. Luiz Menini Neto
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Correspondence to Luiz Menini Neto.

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Research funded by “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico” (CNPq).

Part of “Rede em Epífitas da Mata Atlântica” (Atlantic Forest Epiphyte Network) project—PNADB/CAPES.

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Menini Neto, L., Furtado, S.G., Zappi, D.C. et al. Biogeography of epiphytic Angiosperms in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, a world biodiversity hotspot. Braz. J. Bot 39, 261–273 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-015-0238-7

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