Summary
The vegetation was studied of a number of savannas in northern and southern Surinam, and in French Guiana. The results are compared in particular with the vegetation classification proposed earlier for northern Surinam, and with some records from the northern Rupununi Savanna, Guyana (Van Donselaar 1965).
The savannas studied near Brownsweg (northern Surinam) have vegetation types that correspond completely with those of some other savannas of the same geological-pedological type more to the North, as described before. New is the finding of a type of scrub bordering the savanna, being the scrub equivalent of a type of bushes described earlier as theMarlierea type.
On the top and the slopes of the Blauwe Berg near Berg en Dal (northern Surinam) an anthropogenic savanna has developed. Two new vegetation types are recorded here that belong to the alliance Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion. At the foot of the hill a flat savanna supports a vegetation that gives the impression of being of recent origin and unbalanced.
It appears possible to apply the existing classification to the communities found on savannas near Cayenne (French Guiana). In this area the conspicuousByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) occurs in several undescribed vegetation types that belong to various entities. A xerophilous and a hygrophilous community ofByrsonima verbascifolia are distinguished, belonging to the Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion and the Bulbostylidion lanatae, respectively.
On the Sipaliwini Savanna in southern Surinam most vegetation types do not fit into one of the existing alliances. However, if new alliances would be described, it should be possible to include them into the existing orders. There probably is an alliance, called here “communities ofTrachypogon plumosus andBulbostylis spadicea”, that might be regarded as the southern counterpart of the Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion in the order Trachypogonetalia plumosi, and a supposed alliance with muchRhynchospora graminea andR. globosa might have the same position with regard to the Imperato-Mesosetion in the order Paspaletalia pulchelli. Among the communities that might be included in the alliance Axonopodion chrysitidis there is one occurring on sandy soil without a hog-wallow structure at the surface. Floristically it has connections with the Paspaletalia pulchelli but it also has many characteristic species of its own. Whether this community has to be placed in a distinct alliance will have to depend on the results of further investigations in this area. Anyhow, more data are needed for the drafting of a complete picture of the rich and interesting Sipaliwini Savanna.
On a savanna south-west of the airstrip “Sipaliwini” (southern Surinam) the vegetation consists mainly of communities belonging to the Bulbostylidion lanatae.
Summarizing the above-mentioned results, one may say that a number of communities not studied before are added to the picture of the savanna vegetation of the Guianas. It proved possible to integrate these communities without much difficulty in the classification presented earlier that so far has functioned as a practical framework.
Zusammenfassung
Die Vegetation einiger Savannen in Nordsurinam, Südsurinam und Französisch-Guayana wurde untersucht. Die Ergebnisse werden besonders verglichen mit einer schon früher vorgeschlagenen Vegetationsklassifikation und mit einigen Aufnahmen der nördlichen Rupununisavanne in Guayana, dem ehemahligen Britisch-Guayana (Van Donselaar 1965).
Die bei Brownsweg (Nordsurinam) untersuchten Savannen haben Vegetationstypen, die denjenigen anderer, schon früher bearbeiteter, mehr nördlich gelegener Savannen desselben geologisch-pädologischen Typs ganz ähnlich sind. Es wurde ein neuer, die offenen Savannen begrenzender Typ von Gestrüpp gefunden. Er ist als Gestrüppäquivalent eines Buschtyps, der früher alsMarlierea-typ beschrieben worden ist, zu betrachten.
Auf dem Gipfel und den Hängen des Blauen Berges bei Berg en Dal (Nordsurinam) hat sich eine anthropogene Savanne entwickelt. Zwei neue Vegetationstypen wurden hier angetroffen, beide dem Verband Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion angehörend. Eine flache Savanne am Fuß des Berges trägt eine Vegetation, die rezent entstanden und noch nicht ausgeglichen zu sein scheint.
Es ergibt sich, daß die vorhandene Klassifikation auch auf die Pflanzengesellschaften einiger Savannen bei Cayenne (Französisch-Guayana) zutrifft. In dieser Gegend findet sich die auffälligeByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) in mehreren unbeschriebenen Vegetationstypen, die verschiedenen Einheiten angehören. Es wurde eine xerophile und eine hygrophile Gesellschaft vonByrsonima verbascifolia unterschieden, die den Verbänden Rhynchospora-Trachypogonion bezw. Bulbostylidion lanatae zugeteilt werden können.
Die meisten Vegetationstypen der Sipaliwinisavanne (Südsurinam) passen nicht in einen der beschriebenen Verbände. Wenn aber neue Verbände dafür beschrieben würden, so könnten diese in den bestehenden Ordnungen untergebracht werden. Es ist wohl ein Verband zu unterscheiden, hier „Gesellschaften vonTrachypogon plumosus undBulbostylis spadicea” genannt, der als ein südliches Gegenstück des nördlichen Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion-Verbandes in der Ordnung Trachypogonetalia plumosi zu betrachten wäre, und vermutlich steht ein Verband mit vielRhynchospora graminea undR. globosa in demselben Verhältnis zum Imperato-Mesosetion-Verband in der Ordnung Paspaletalia pulchelli. Unter den Gesellschaften, die dem Verband Axonopodion chrysitidis zuzurechnen sind, gibt es eine auf sandigem Boden ohne Hügel-und-Schlenken-Struktur. Sie hat floristische Beziehungen zu den Paspaletalia pulchelli, aber hat auch manche eigene Kennarten. Die Entscheidung, ob diese Gesellschaft in einem neuen Verband unterzubringen ist, muß von weiteren Untersuchungsergebnissen abhängig gemacht werden. Überhaupt ist noch viel weitere Arbeit erforderlich, bevor das Bild der Vegetation der reichen und interessanten Sipaliwinisavanne vollständig ist.
Die Vegetation einer Savanne südwestlich des Flugplatzes „Sipaliwini” (Südsurinam) besteht hauptsächlich aus Gesellschaften des Verbandes Bulbostylidion lanatae.
Als Zusammenfassung der obenerwähnten Ergebnisse kann man sagen, daß eine Anzahl von bisher nicht bekannten Gesellschaften dem Gesammtbild der Savannenvegetation der Guayanas hinzugefügt worden ist. Es hat sich gezeigt, daß diese Gesellschaften ohne viel Mühe in die früher veröffentlichte Klassifikation eingefügt werden können, so daß diese als ein praktisches Ramenwerk brauchbar bleibt.
Resumo
A vegetação foi estudada em várias savanas ao norte e sul de Suriname, e na Guiana Francêsa. Os resultados foram comparados, em particular, com a classificação de tipos de vegetação obtida antes no norte de Suriname e com alguns dados da parte norte da Savana Rupununi, Guiana Inglesa, agora „Guyana” (Van Donselaar 1965).
As savanas estudadas perto de Brownsweg (norte do Suriname) possuem tipos de vegetação que correspondem completamente com aqueles de outras savanas do mesmo tipo geológico-pedológico mais ao norte, já descritos antes. Foi encontrada aí uma faixa arbustiva bordejando a savana que é nova e, equivalente ao tipo de capões descrito anteriormente como o tipo deMalierea.
No topo e nas vertentes do Blauwe Berg perto de Berg en Dal (norte do Suriname) uma savana antropogênica encontra-se desenvolvida aí. Dois tipos novos de vegetação são aí apontados que pertencem a aliança Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion. No sopé de colina encontra-se uma savana plana que apresenta uma vegetação dando a impressão se sêr de origem recente e em desequilíbrio.
Parece sêr possível aplicar a classificação existente das comunidades encontradas nas savanas próximas à Cayenne (Guiana Francêsa). Nessa área a conspícuaByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) ocorre em vários tipos vegetais não descritos que pertencem a entidades diversas. Uma comunidade xerófila e uma higrófila deByrsonima verbascifolia são definidas, pertencendo a primeira ao Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonione, a segunda ao Bulbostylidon lanatae.
Na Savana Sipaliwini ao sul de Suriname a maioria dos tipos de vegetação não se acomodam a nenhuma das alianças existentes. Entretanto, se novas alianças fossem criadas, seria possível incluilas nas ordens existentes. É provàvelmente uma aliança chamada aquí „comunidades deTrachypogon plumosus eBulbostylis spadicea” que pudesse sêr considerada como correspondente sulino do Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion na ordem Trachypogonetalia plumosi, e uma aliança com muitaRhynchospora graminea eR. globosa que pudesse estar na mesma situação em relação ao Imperato-Mesosetion da ordem Paspaletalia pulchelli. Entre as comunidades possíveis de sêr incluidas na aliança Axonopodion chrysitidis, é uma que se encontra em solo arenoso, mas sem a superfície com caneluras reticuladas que é chamada „hogwallowed” em inglês e „kaw-foetoe” no Suriname. Além das conecções florísticas com a Paspaletalia pulchelli tem muitas espécies características próprias. Se esta comunidade tem que sêr localizada numa aliança separada, dependerá dos resultados de investigações futuras nesta área. Em tôdo caso mais dados são necessários para a delineação dum desenho completo da rica e interessante Savana Sipaliwini.
Na savana SW do compo d'aterrisagem „Sipaliwini” (sul do Suriname) a vegetação consiste, a maioria, de comunidades de Bulbostylidion lanatae.
Reunindo os resultados acima mencionados, podemos dizer que um número de comunidades não estudados antes são acrescentados à pintura da vegetação das savanas das Guianas. Também evidenciou-se sêr possível integrar estas comunidades sem muitas dificuldades não classificação apresentada antes, que até agora funciona como moldura prática.
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van Donselaar, J. Observations on Savanna vegetation-types in the Guianas. Plant Ecol 17, 271–312 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965914
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965914