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Heterogeneity of the inland water–land palm ecotones (morichals) in the Orinoco lowlands, South America

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Abstract

We analyzed the distributional pattern of species and environmental gradients across inland water–land palm ecotones (morichals) of the Orinoco lowlands to increase comprehension of the nature of ecotone heterogeneity. A total of 91 species (53 genera and 45 families) with aboveground phytomass > 0.1 g dry mass were recorded. Detrented canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) indicated that vegetation phytomass was related strongly to soil properties, including gradients of silt (14.5–4.7%), exchangeable Al (1.05–3.10 cmole kg−1), K (0.03–0.30 cmole kg−1), Na (0.01–0.08 cmole kg−1), Mg (0.03–0.54 cmole kg−1) concentrations, pH (3.7–5.0 units), and soil organic matter. Cluster analysis allowed the definition of four types of ecotones on the basis of hydrogeomorphic processes. The first major group (1) encompassing the sites from Venezuelan lowlands (i.e., 3V, 4V, 5V, 6V, and 7V) was related to less acidic soils with high organic matter content. The second group (II) from Eastern Colombian llanos (i.e., sites 8C, 9C, 11C, 12C, 13C, 14C, and 15C) was located in acidic soils (3.9–4.5 units) with high Mg concentration. The third group (III) (i.e., sites IV and 10C) was located in soils with high Na content, whereas the fourth group (IV) (i.e., site 2V) was characterized by species growing in soils with low exchangeable aluminum. The results evidenced the interactive role of valley constraint, landforms, hydrological regime, and soil feature in structuring the plant community. Biogeographic and floristic considerations were also taken into account to explain differences in species composition.

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Acknowledgments

This study has been conducted within the Savanna Bioproductivity MAB (UNESCO) project of IVIC and partially sponsored by the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB/UNESCO). The identification of the botanical material was made or revised by Dr. Gerrit Davidse from Missouri Botanical Garden. We appreciate the skillful support of Prof. Daniel Bailey (Simón Bolívar University), Dirk Thielen, Carmen Buendía and Meimalín Moreno of Ecology Center—IVIC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apartado 21827, Caracas, 1020, Venezuela

    José San-José & Nathaly Matute

  2. Departamento de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89000, Caracas, 1080, Venezuela

    Rubén Montes

  3. Fedepalma, Carrera 10A No. 69-98, A.A. 13772, Santa Fe de Bogotá, DC, Colombia

    Miguel Angel Mazorra

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  1. José San-José
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  2. Rubén Montes
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  3. Miguel Angel Mazorra
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  4. Nathaly Matute
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Correspondence to José San-José.

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San-José, J., Montes, R., Mazorra, M.A. et al. Heterogeneity of the inland water–land palm ecotones (morichals) in the Orinoco lowlands, South America. Plant Ecol 208, 259–269 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9703-3

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