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The role of roadsides in conserving Cerrado plant diversity

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 23, pages 3035–3050 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The structure of Cerrado vegetation (sensu stricto) along roadsides was compared with that of protected areas (reserves). The superior stratum of reserves had 2.7 times more individuals and 1.4 times more species than on roadsides, while in the intermediate stratum there were 1.7 times more individuals and 25 % more species in reserves. Additionally, roadsides had a lower prevalence of tree species with thin bark and from forest physiognomies. In the intermediate stratum of roadsides there was a lower proportion of forest species, and also fewer species dispersed by animals. These differences occur, possibly because the vegetation of their edges is cleared during the construction of the roads and part of the soil is taken as landfill. Later, they suffer from a higher fire frequency and high coverage of exotic grasses (80 % average). Moreover, it is likely that the absence of some dispersers on roadsides may affect the recruitment of young plants. Despite these differences, the roadsides are able to maintain at least 70 % of tree species and 72 % of shrub species found in reserves. These results show that roadside vegetation can contribute to the conservation of the flora of Cerrado. This is particularly important considering that over 60 % of the original area of this ecosystem has been destroyed and that less than 4 % is protected. With 32,012 km of roads in the Cerrado alone, the roadside vegetation may represent a cumulative area of 96,000 of hectares, an area larger than many of the Cerrado’s national parks.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Heraldo L. Vasconcelos for helpful discussions and comments on the manuscript. We also thank the experts who helped with identification of plant vouchers: A. Angélica, I. Schiavini, A. Terra, J. Nakajima, E. K. O. Hattori, B. C. Vargas, A. R. Rezende, R. Romero, D. Marques, G. Paiva, P. Mel, and P. Oliveira. Financial support was provided by a graduate scholarship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) to PBV and a Science Without Borders Visiting Researcher Fellowship to EMB (Project No. 061/2012).

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  1. Pedro B. Vasconcelos

    Present address: Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), C.P. 593, Uberlândia, MG, 38400-902, Brazil

    Pedro B. Vasconcelos & Glein M. Araújo

  2. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-5530, USA

    Emilio M. Bruna

  3. Center for Latin America Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-5530, USA

    Emilio M. Bruna

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  1. Pedro B. Vasconcelos
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Vasconcelos, P.B., Araújo, G.M. & Bruna, E.M. The role of roadsides in conserving Cerrado plant diversity. Biodivers Conserv 23, 3035–3050 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0762-y

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Keywords

  • Conservation
  • Exotic species
  • Fire
  • Highway
  • Resilience
  • Road verge

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